Effects of Eating Behavior of Preschool Children Using a Direct Visual Stimulating Program on Vegetables and Nutrition Education with Vegetable Playing

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine 1) the relationship between the vegetable eating behavior of care givers and that of children, 2) the effectiveness of nutrition education with vegetable playing using direct visual stimulating programs on vegetable eating behavior of preschool children, and 3) the times and period of nutrition education with vegetable playing for significant changes on vegetable eating behavior. A total number of 56 individuals, aged 42 to 66 months old, participated in this study in which three kinds of vegetables (30 g)/meal were served per individual, and vegetable eating behavior was measured by the residue on the dish during 5 weeks (25 days). To the simple visual stimulating group, vegetable dish was served without education, and other groups included education 1 group (nutrition education 1 time/week), education 2 group (nutrition education 2 times/week), and education 3 group (nutrition education 3 times/week) with simple visual stimulation by the vegetable dish. The results showed 1) the significant relationship (P < 0.001) between the vegetable eating behavior of the care giver and that of children by analysis of the questionnaire, 2) the effectiveness of nutrition education using vegetable playing on vegetable eating behavior of preschool children (P < 0.05), and 3) the significant changes in vegetable eating behavior by the 3rd week in the education 3 group. This study shows that food neophobia caused behavior problems in children regarding vegetable eating and repeated exposure was able to reduce food neophobia.