Hiding vegetables to reduce energy density: an effective strategy to increase children's vegetable intake and reduce energy intake.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Strategies are needed to increase children's intake of a variety of vegetables, including vegetables that are not well liked.

Objective

We investigated whether incorporating puréed vegetables into entrées to reduce the energy density (ED; in kcal/g) affected vegetable and energy intake over 1 d in preschool children.

Design

In this crossover study, 3- to 5-y-old children (n = 40) were served all meals and snacks 1 d/wk for 3 wk. Across conditions, entrées at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and evening snack were reduced in ED by increasing the proportion of puréed vegetables. The conditions were 100% ED (standard), 85% ED (tripled vegetable content), and 75% ED (quadrupled vegetable content). Entrées were served with unmanipulated side dishes and snacks, and chil

SUBMITTER: Spill MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3155937 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature