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    Visual Cues Encourage Vegetable Consumption

    Scientific American – Tue, Feb 7, 2012

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    Americans still fall short of the recommended daily portions of fruits and vegetables. And kids are notoriously averse to veggies at the school cafeteria. So researchers tested whether visual cues of healthful foods could increase consumption at a grade school with 800 students.

    First the scientists determined how many kids put carrots and green beans on their trays and how much they ate. Three months later they did the same analysis. But on the second day, the trays had pictures of carrots and green beans in the trays’ compartments.

    On the day with the photo cues, more than twice as many kids took green beans as on the control day, and more than three times as many kids took carrots. Average consumption per student went up as well. The study was published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. [Marla Reicks et al., "Photographs in Lunch Tray Compartments and Vegetable Consumption Among Children in Elementary School Cafeterias"]

    The researchers note that the effect needs to be tested elsewhere for longer than two days. And the amount of veggies eaten still didn’t meet government recommendations. But if pictures of burgers can sell meaty meals, maybe fresh fruit and veggie food photos can play a part in the campaign for healthier kids.

    —Cynthia Graber

    [The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]    

    Follow Scientific American on Twitter @SciAm and @SciamBlogs. Visit ScientificAmerican.com for the latest in science, health and technology news.
    © 2012 ScientificAmerican.com. All rights reserved.

     

    5 comments

    • Otto Pilot
      Otto Pilot  •  Spring Branch, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      The beef industry will make sure this campaign never gets off the ground.
    • Ophelia K
      Ophelia K  •  Williamstown, Kentucky  •  3 mths ago
      Mom's n Dad's, start at home, start young.
    • Tda
      Tda  •  3 mths ago
      This may work initially, but, like most cafeteria food, if the veggies are so overcooked that they can barely maintain their shapes much less any texture, the kids won't tolerate them. I wouldn't, no matter how pretty the pictures were. Fix the preparation problems, make them taste good, and maybe veggies will catch on.
    • Bill
      Bill  •  3 mths ago
      Isn't this how they usually test things on infants?
    • Gorilla
      Gorilla  •  Washington, District of Columbia  •  3 mths ago
      Don't buy anything but veggies for a week. By day two, the kids will be hungry and eat them.
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