Division of Human Nutrition Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Feb;91(2):349-56. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.28529. Epub 2009 Dec 9.
Children's vegetable consumption is below recommended amounts. According to self-determination theory, stimulating children's feelings of autonomy by offering a choice of vegetables may be a valuable strategy to increase their vegetable liking and consumption. The effect of choice-offering on children's vegetable liking and consumption has, to our knowledge, not yet been studied.
The objective was to investigate whether having a choice between 2 vegetables enhances children's vegetable liking and consumption.
Three hundred three children (age: 4-6 y) were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 3 dinner conditions in a restaurant setting. Two similarly liked vegetables were presented, after which the child had no choice, a premeal choice, or an at-meal choice. Subsequently, the dinner was consumed with one parent present. Comparisons between the 3 conditions regarding children's meal experience, vegetable liking, and vegetable consumption were made by using analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis tests.
Children's vegetable consumption did not differ (P = 0.54) between the conditions as follows: 56 + or - 45 g in the no-choice condition, 51 + or - 46 g in the premeal-choice condition, and 49 + or - 47 g in the at-meal-choice condition. In the no-choice condition, high-reactant children (who are more sensitive to psychological, persuasive pressure) consumed fewer vegetables (45 + or - 42 g) than did low-reactant children (73 + or - 43 g; P = 0.04). Vegetable liking was similar in all 3 conditions (P = 0.43). Children appreciated being able to choose in the premeal-choice condition.
A premeal choice between 2 vegetables was appreciated by the children but did not increase their vegetable liking and consumption. The no-choice condition decreased vegetable consumption in high-reactant children. Future research should investigate the effects of choice-offering in the long term and in more familiar eating settings. This trial was registered at controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN03035138.
儿童的蔬菜摄入量低于推荐量。根据自我决定理论，通过提供蔬菜选择来激发儿童的自主性感可能是增加他们对蔬菜的喜爱和摄入量的一种有价值的策略。提供选择对儿童蔬菜喜爱和摄入量的影响，据我们所知，尚未进行研究。
本研究旨在探讨提供 2 种蔬菜选择是否能提高儿童对蔬菜的喜爱和摄入量。
303 名（年龄：4-6 岁）儿童在餐厅环境中随机分配接受 3 种晚餐条件之一。先呈现两种同样受欢迎的蔬菜，然后儿童可以选择不选、餐前选或餐中选。随后，在一位家长在场的情况下用餐。通过方差分析和 Kruskal-Wallis 检验比较 3 种条件下儿童的用餐体验、蔬菜喜爱度和蔬菜摄入量。
3 种条件下儿童的蔬菜摄入量没有差异（P = 0.54），具体为：无选择条件下为 56 +或-45 g，餐前选择条件下为 51 +或-46 g，餐中选择条件下为 49 +或-47 g。在无选择条件下，高反应性儿童（对心理、说服压力更敏感）的蔬菜摄入量（45 +或-42 g）低于低反应性儿童（73 +或-43 g；P = 0.04）。3 种条件下的蔬菜喜爱度相似（P = 0.43）。儿童喜欢在餐前选择条件下选择。
餐前选择 2 种蔬菜得到了儿童的赞赏，但并没有增加他们对蔬菜的喜爱和摄入量。无选择条件降低了高反应性儿童的蔬菜摄入量。未来的研究应该在更熟悉的饮食环境中，长期研究提供选择的效果。本试验在 controlled-trials.com 注册，编号为 ISRCTN03035138。
