Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Date Submitted: May 11, 2021
Date Accepted: Oct 13, 2021
A mobile application to increase fruit and vegetable acceptance among Finnish and Polish preschoolers: design and effectiveness of a cluster-randomized trial
ABSTRACT
Background:
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) centers are ideal venues for food education. Since smartphones and tablets are becoming increasingly popular in ECEC centers, technology can be used to deliver such pedagogical contents. Evidence suggests that video games can affect fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among 9–12-year-olds, but studies among preschoolers are scarce.
Objective:
This paper describes the development of the Mole’s Veggie Adventures application and its effectiveness in increasing FV acceptance among Finnish and Polish preschoolers.
Methods:
A multi-professional team created the application to be used in ECEC centers in groups of 3–10 children. The application aimed to increase vegetable acceptance, and it was built using elements that support the development of self-regulation and social skills. Altogether seven Finnish and four Polish ECEC centers participated in the study. Before randomization, parents reported background factors and their children’s willingness to taste different FVs. The ECEC professionals in the intervention arm were instructed to use the application at least once a week during the 3–4-week intervention period. The main outcomes in this unblinded, cluster-randomized study were FV acceptance, which was calculated as a sum variable describing the children’s willingness to taste 25 different FVs, and relative FV acceptance (FV acceptance divided by the number of vegetables served). We used ANCOVA to compare the FV acceptance and relative FV acceptance scores between the intervention and control groups at follow-up.
Results:
Altogether 221 children were included in the analyses. At follow-up, the intervention group (n=115) had higher FV acceptance scores (baseline adjusted difference of means 7.22, 95% CI 1.41; 13.03) than the control group (n=106). The intervention effect was parallel for relative FV acceptance scores (baseline adjusted difference of means 0.28, 95% CI 0.05; 0.52).
Conclusions:
The Mole’s Veggie Adventures application has the potential to increase FV acceptance among preschoolers and can be a valuable tool in supporting food education in ECEC centers. Furthermore, the application can be feasibly incorporated into preschool routines in countries with different educational environments. Clinical Trial: Not applicable (the study was not a clinical trial).
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