| Less than twenty percent of America's youth meet the United States Department of Agriculture's daily recommendation of five servings of fruits and vegetables. The purpose of this study was to establish the impact of a school garden on produce consumption in fifth graders.;Eighty-eight fifth grade students (n = 68 intervention, n = 20 controls) completed the study. Students answered pre- and post-study questionnaires that measured knowledge and attitudes about vegetables. Intervention subjects participated in an eight-week school gardening program, while controls had no intervention.;Trends were observed in which intervention students increased fruit consumption, a significant increase (p=.038) was observed in the number of intervention students who chose healthier side items, and a significant increase (p=.005) was observed in the nutritional knowledge of intervention students.;The current study concludes that school garden interventions are a promising option to improve dietary habits of children. |
