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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2016 May;48(5):331-335.e1.
doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2016.02.005. Epub 2016 Mar 15.

Influence of Screen-Based Peer Modeling on Preschool Children's Vegetable Consumption and Preferences

Amanda E Staiano  1 , Arwen M Marker  2 , Johannah M Frelier  2 , Daniel S Hsia  2 , Corby K Martin  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Influence of Screen-Based Peer Modeling on Preschool Children's Vegetable Consumption and Preferences

Amanda E Staiano et al. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2016 May.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the influence of screen-based peer modeling on children's vegetable consumption and preference.

Methods: A total of 42 children aged 3-5 years were randomly assigned to view individually a video segment of peers consuming a modeled vegetable (bell pepper), vs a nonfood video segment or no video. Analysis of covariance models examined bell pepper preference and consumption during initial video exposure (day 1) and without video exposure (days 2 and 7), adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and initial bell pepper consumption.

Results: Children in the vegetable condition ate more bell peppers (15.5 g) than did those in the control condition (5.9 g; P = .04; model η(2) = 0.85) on day 7, with no differences on days 1 or 2. Among children who ate the modeled vegetable, those in the vegetable DVD condition reported greater preference for eating the vegetable again (P = .01).

Conclusions and implications: Screen-based peer modeling is a promising tool to influence children's vegetable consumption.

Keywords: child; food preferences; preschool; video.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CONSORT diagram of study enrollment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Standardized layout for food selection task and DVD viewing.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Least squares adjusted means of modeled vegetable consumption following experimental manipulation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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