Evaluation of a Nutrition Intervention through a School-Based Food Garden to Improve Dietary Consumption, Habits and Practices in Children from the Third to Fifth Grade in Chile ()
ABSTRACT
Objective: Use a
school-based food garden as an instrument to improve healthy dietary consumption,
habits, and practices among children from the third to fifth grade in public
schools in Chile. Design:
Quasi-experimental, six-month intervention with an evaluation of dietary
consumption, habits, and practices and use of the school-based food garden
among the 3rd to 5th grade students. Setting:
Two municipal schools in a low-middle income district in Santiago de Chile; one
with a school garden intervention and a control school without a garden. Subjects: 155 third to fifth grade children, 63
in the intervention school and 92 in the control school (average age 10 years
old, 58% boys). Results:
In the intervened school, there was a significant improvement in the children’s
dietary habits, such as peeling and slicing fruit (p < 0.05), making
sandwiches (p < 0.05), and increased motivation to cook (p < 0.05). Fruit
purchases at the school rose from 4% to 37% (p < 0.05) by the end of the
intervention. Interest in growing vegetables or fruits at home increased from
48% to 70% (p < 0.05). The school children at the intervention school
significantly increased their knowledge about 16 of 21 garden crops (p < 0.05),
expanding the spectrum of the vegetables they can consume. There were no
significant changes in the control school. Conclusions:
The school-based food garden was effective in achieving change in dietary
habits and practices among the third to fifth grade children. The project
should be carried out for a longer period of time, so that the changes will be
reflected in the students’ food consumption and nutritional status.
Share and Cite:
Vinueza, D. , Lera, L. , Salinas, J. , González, C. , Barrios, L. and Vio, F. (2016) Evaluation of a Nutrition Intervention through a School-Based Food Garden to Improve Dietary Consumption, Habits and Practices in Children from the Third to Fifth Grade in Chile.
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
7, 884-894. doi:
10.4236/fns.2016.710088.