School gardening and diet

Conditions

Improving children's diet Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine Children's diet

Meaghan S Christian, Charlotte Evans, Camilla Nykjaer, Neil Hancock, Janet Cade

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity2014-08-15100 citations

Does the Royal Horticultural Society Campaign for School Gardening increase intake of fruit and vegetables in children? Results from two randomised controlled trials

Meaghan S Christian, Charlotte Evans, Janet Cade

Public Health Research2014-08-0113 citations

10.3310/phr02040

Family meals can help children reach their 5 a day: a cross-sectional survey of children's dietary intake from London primary schools.

Christian MS, Evans CE, Hancock N, Nykjaer C, Cade JE.

2012-12-1949 citations

10.1136/jech-2012-201604

Study protocol: can a school gardening intervention improve children's diets?

Christian MS, El Evans C, Conner M, Ransley JK, Cade JE.

2012-04-2610 citations

10.1186/1471-2458-12-304

Interventions

The intervention package is the RHS Campaign for School Gardening. There are two main levels at which schools can be involved - more intensive and less intensive: More intensive intervention: Involve

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Both trials: 1. Primary maintained schools in the London government region with classes in key stage 2 (years 3 - 6) 2. A minimum year group size of 15 pupils 3. Pupils aged 8 - 9 years, either sex Trial 1: 1. Meet all of the above criteria 2. Have signed up to take part in the RHS Campaign for School Gardening 3. Have undertaken the benchmarking process Trial 2: 1. Meet all of the above criteria (for both trials) 2. Have not signed up to take part in the RHS Campaign for School Gardening by the time of randomisation of schools in trial 1

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Both trials: 1. Independent schools 2. Special schools 3. Schools without all 4 year groups (3 - 6) 4. Small schools with less than 15 pupils/year group 5. Schools that have previously participated in externally supported school growing projects

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Daily portions of fruit and vegetable eaten, measured between January 2010 and April 2010 and again between September 2011 and December 2011.	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Intake of key nutrients (measured between January 2010 and April 2010 and again between September 2011 and December 2011): 1.1. Total energy intake (MJ/day) 1.2. Fat intake (g/day) 1.3. Salt intake (g/day) 1.4. Intake of sugars (g/day) 1.5. Carotene intake (mg/day) 1.6. Vitamin C intake (mg/day) 2. Behavioural: Children's attitude to fruit and vegetable consumption - using a validated psychological questionnaire. Measured between January 2010 and April 2010 and again between September 2011 and December 2011. 3. School level: Involvement of schools in promoting consumption of fruit and vegetables (number of lessons devoted to school gardening and growing or learning about fruit and vegetables, school food policy, resources, involvement in other national/local food related initiatives) 4. Involvement by schools of parents in promoting consumption of fruit and vegetables among pupils 5. Process measures concerning the practicality of the intervention, timing, delivery, used and not used elements of the intervention, measured between January 2010 and July 2011.	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Intake of key nutrients (measured between January 2010 and April 2010 and again between September 2011 and December 2011): 1.1. Total energy intake (MJ/day) 1.2. Fat intake (g/day) 1.3. Salt intake (g/day) 1.4. Intake of sugars (g/day) 1.5. Carotene intake (mg/day) 1.6. Vitamin C intake (mg/day) 2. Behavioural: Children's attitude to fruit and vegetable consumption - using a validated psychological questionnaire. Measured between January 2010 and April 2010 and again between September 2011 and December 2011. 3. School level: Involvement of schools in promoting consumption of fruit and vegetables (number of lessons devoted to school gardening and growing or learning about fruit and vegetables, school food policy, resources, involvement in other national/local food related initiatives) 4. Involvement by schools of parents in promoting consumption of fruit and vegetables among pupils 5. Process measures concerning the practicality of the intervention, timing, delivery, used and not used elements of the intervention, measured between January 2010 and July 2011.

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Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed