Imitation of a teacher who eats vegetables.

Most children in the Netherlands do not meet the recommended daily amount of
vegetables intake. Four- to six- year-olds on average eat about 44 grams of
vegetables per day despite of the recommended amount of 100 to 150 grams of
each. The percentages of children with inadequate consumption of vegetables is
in this age range close to 100%. Inadequate intake of vegetables may
potentially lead to inadequate eating behavior later in life and is shown to be
to related increased susceptibility for chronic diseases.

It is important to develop strategies to increase children's intake vegetables,
because of the shown health benefits of long-term intake vegetables. The
current aims at to reveal the effect of using a role model (the teacher) and
convivial eating to increase vegetable consumption, taking advantage of the
natural imitation behaviour of children (age of the children: 4 to 6 years).

This study is part of the EU FP7 Medium-Scale Collaborative Project "Determing
factors and critical periods in food habit information and breaking in early
childhood: a multidisciplinary approach" (HabEat)

The primary aim of this study is to investigate the effect of imitation of a
role model, the teacher, and the effect of convivial eating on the intake of a
vegetable in children aged 4 to 6 years of age.

The aim in a more long-term perspective is to develop strategies to increase
vegetable consumption and contribute to childrens' health.

There are two experimental groups which will be compared:
multicomponent group (n=50); multi-component imitation:
Week 1: a role model (teacher in front of the class) is eating the vegetable in
an enthusiastic manner. The children do not eat the vegetable at that moment.
Week 2 to 5: the children eat the target vegetable together whit the teacher in
front of the class.

single-component group (n=50); single-component imitation:
Week 2-5: the children eat the target vegetable together whit the teacher in
front of the class.

In addition thera is a baseline group (n=50); no imitation. This group is
includede in the study with the mere aim to monitor intake of the target
vegetabel in a non-experimanetal setting. This group will be presented with the
target vegetable at the beginneing and the end of the research period.

The amount eaten will be measured by weighing the bowls with the vegetables
before and after the snack moment.

In addition, a choice test will be performed on three occasions to get an idea
of the liking of the target vegetable. Four vegetables will be presented in a
pre-, mid- and post choice test of which each child can choose one vegetabel
which they would like to eat. The amount eaten will be measured as well.

There are no risks involved in participation in this study; vegetables are
offered that fit a normal healthy diet and are available in supermarkets.
Children with allergy fot the selected vegetable are excluded from the study
and an alternative will be offered.

The burden is negligible as the children are free to decide te eat or not eat
the offered snack during the snack moment at school. From experience it is
known that children like to participate in studies like the suggested study.