Increasing young children's vegetable consumption : effectiveness of a behavioural intervention in an early childhood development centre in Botswana

Background: Although several studies have illustrated that the global population consumes a diet low in vegetables and fruits, there are still limited studies on health promoting strategies or interventions to help increase vegetable consumption in children at early childhood development (ECD) centres, especially in Southern Africa. It is important to address children’s eating behaviours early in childhood to increase dietary diversity, which will enable them to meet their nutritional requirements that support adequate growth and development as well as establish healthy eating behaviours into adulthood. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a behavioural intervention on vegetable intake in children, aged 3 to 6 years, in an ECD centre in Gaborone, Botswana. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted, employing the pre-test-post-test design. Firstly, data on habitual intake at home and at school was collected from parents and teachers respectively, using self-administered questionnaires. Children aged 3 to 6 years, from Dipeo Nursery School in Gaborone were provided with set portions of same-sized carrots and green beans on three respective days. On the second day, the social cognitive theory was applied through an intervention that consisted of posters of animated superhero cartoons promoting vegetable intake. The participants’ vegetable intake during the tests was assessed by counting the remaining number of vegetables on the plate and converted to the proportion consumed. Dependent t-tests were conducted to deduce inferences between pre-test, intervention, and post-test. Results: In total, 31 children were included in the study (17 boys, 14 girls). Parents reported carrots (65%), potatoes (61%) and tomatoes (55%) as the most frequent vegetables consumed in the preceding 24 hours. While the teachers reported cucumbers (91%), carrots (82%), corn (73%) and tomatoes (62%) as the most packed vegetables for school. Considering the intervention, there was no significant difference in the mean vegetable consumption (carrots and green beans) between the age groups on the pretest, intervention, or post-test days. For the total group, there was a significant increase in carrot consumption of 13.3% (t (30) = -3.99, p<0.001) from intervention (69.0, ±32.1%) to post-test (82.2, ±23.9%), as well as an increase of 7.1% from pre-test (75.1, ±28.3%) to post-test (82.2, ±23.9%), (t (30) = -2.09, p=0.045). Similarly, there was a 9% increase in green bean consumption (t (30) = -3.04, p=0.005) from intervention (53.1, ±36.6%) to post-test (62.1, ±35.0%). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that a behavioural intervention employing animated superhero cartoons paired with repeated exposure on three time points (pretest, intervention, and post-test) is effective in promoting vegetable intake in children aged 3 to 6 years in an ECD centre. It is recommended that children are encouraged to consume vegetables by means of visual characters and repeated exposure. Additionally, children should consume meals in an environment without distractions. The results of this study positively contribute to foundational data and demonstrate the need for further research on interventions on a larger scale.

Lemorago: Le fa dithutopatlisiso di le mmalwa di bontshitse gore batho ba mo lefatsheng ba ja dijo tse di nang le merogo le maungo a a kwa tlase, go sa ntse go na le dithutopatlisiso tse di lekanyeditsweng fela tse di ka ga go tsweletsa ditogamaano le ditsereganyo tsa go thusa go oketsa go ja merogo ga bana kwa ditikwatikweng tsa bana ba bannye ba ba golang (ECD), bogolo segolo mo Borwa jwa Aforika. Go botlhokwa go samagana le mekgwa ya bana ya go ja go sa le gale mo bongwaneng go oketsa go nna teng ga dijo tse di farologaneng, e leng se se tlaa ba kgontshang go fitlhelela ditlhokego tsa bona tsa dikotla tse di tshegetsang kgolo e e lekaneng jaaka fa re tlaa bo re simolola mekgwa e e itekanetseng ya go ja mo bogolong. Maikaelelo: Maikaelelo a thutopatlisiso eno e ne e le go swetsa ka ditlamorago tsa tsereganyo ya mekgwa malebana le go ja merogo ga bana ba bogolo jwa dingwaga tse 3 go ya go 6, mo tikwatikweng ya ECD kwa Gaborone, Botswana. Mekgwa Go dirisitswe thutopatlisiso e e batlileng e nna ya tekeletso, go dirisiwa thadiso ya pele-ga teko-morago-ga teko. Bana ba bogolo jwa dingwaga tse 3 go ya go 6, go tswa kwa Sekolong sa Bana Bannye sa Dipeo kwa Gaborone, ba ne ba tlamelwa ka dikarolo tse di rileng tsa digwete le dinawa tse di lekanang mo malatsing a le mararo a a latelanang. Ka letsatsi la bobedi, go dirisitswe tiori ya temogo ya loago ka tsereganyo e e neng e na le diphousetara tsa bagaka ba dipopae ba tsweletsa go ja merogo. Data ka ga go ja ga tlwaelo kwa gae le kwa sekolong e kokoantswe go tswa mo batsading le barutabana, go dirisiwa makwalopotsolotso a a ikwalelwang ke motho ka boene. Go ja merogo ga banni-le-seabe ka nako ya diteko go tlhatlhobilwe ka go bala palo ya merogo e e setseng mo sejaneng mme ya fetolelwa mo karolong e e jelweng. Go ne ga diragadiwa diteko tsa t tsa go bona boikaego jwa data go bona pharologano magareng ga tsereganyo ya pele ga teko le ya morago ga teko. Dipholo: Gotlhe gotlhe, go ne go akareditswe bana ba le 31 mo thutopatlisisong (basimane ba le 17, basetsana ba le 14). Bagolo ba begile gore digwete (68%), ditapole (61%) le ditamati (55%) ke merogo e e jelweng gantsi mo diureng tse 24 pele ga foo. Fa go lebelelwa tsereganyo, go ne go se na pharologano e e bokao mo go jeweng ga merogo (digwete le dinawa) magareng ga ditlhopha tsa bogolo mo 4 malatsing a pele ga teko, tsereganyo le morago ga teko. Mo setlhopheng sotlhe, go ne go na le koketsego ya go jewa ga digwete ya 13.3% (t (30) = -3.99, p<0.001) go tloga ka tsereganyo (69.0, ±32.1%) go ya go morago ga teko (82.2, ±23.9%), gammogo le koketsego ya 7.1% go tloga go pele ga teko (75.1, ±28.3%) go ya go morago ga teko (82.2, ±23.9%), (t (30) = -2.09, p=0.045). Fela jalo, go ne go na le koketsego ya 9% mo go jeweng ga dinawa tse ditala (t (30) = -3.04, p=0.005) go tloga ka tsereganyo (53.1, ±36.6%) go ya go morago ga teko (62.1, ±35.0%). Bokhutlo: Thutopatlisiso eno e bontshitse gore go tsereganya mo mekgweng ka go dirisa bagaka ba dipopae mmogo le go bona gantsi go na le bokgoni jwa go tsweletsa go jewa ga merogo mo baneng ba dingwaga tse 3 go ya go 6 mo tikwatikweng ya ECD. Go atlenegisiwa gore bana ba rotloediwe go ja merogo ka tiriso ya baanelwa ba ba bonwang le go bontshiwa gantsi. Go tlaleletsa foo, bana ba tshwanetse go ja dijo mo tikologong e e se nang dikgoreletso. Dipholo tsa thutopatlisiso eno di tshwaela sentle mo dateng ya motheo mme di bontsha tlhokego ya go batlisisa ditsereganyo go ya pele mo tikologong e kgolwane.

Umongo: Nakuba ucwaningo olumbalwa luveze ukuthi emhlabeni jikelele mincane imifino nezithelo ekudleni okudliwa abantu, lusekhona ucwaningo oluncane lwezempilo olukhuthaza izindlela noma ukungenelela ukuze kusizwe izingane ziqinise ekudleni imifino ezikhungweni zokuqeqesha izingane ezincane (ama-ECD), ikakhulukazi eNingizimu ne-Afrika. Kubalulekile ukuthi ilungiswe zisencane izingane indlela ezidla ngayo ukuze zijwayelane nokudla okunhlobonhlobo, okuyozisiza zithole imisoco eziyidingayo ukuze zikhule futhi zithuthuke ngokwanele zize zibe abantu abadala abadla ngendlela enempilo. Inhloso: Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakuwukubona umthelela ongaba khona uma kungenelelwa endabeni yokuthi izingane, ezineminyaka emi-3 kuya kweyi-6, zidle imifino, esikhungweni se-ECD eGaborone, eBotswana. Izindlela Zokwenza: Kwenziwa ucwaningo olungokoqobo, olusebenzisa indlela yokuhlola ngokwesikhathi sangaphambi kwesivivinyo nesikhathi sangemva kwesivivinyo. Izingane, ezineminyaka emi-3 kuya kweyi-6, zaseNkulisa iDipeo eGaborone zanikwa ukudla okulinganayo kwezaqathe nobhontshisi ngezinsuku ezintathu ezihlukene. Ngosuku lwesibili, kwasetshenziswa indlela yokuthonya ingqondo yomuntu ngokwalokho akubona emphakathini ngoba kwakukhona izingqwembe ezazinopopayi abajabulile abangamaqhawe anamandla ababekhuthaza ukudliwa kwemifino. Kwaqoqwa kubazali nakothisha ngokufanayo imininingo eveza imikhuba yokudla emakhaya nasesikoleni, kusetshenziswa amaphephambuzo umuntu angazigcwalisela wona. Ukuthi umbambiqhaza udle imifino engakanani ngezikhathi zesivivinyo kwakuhlolwa ngokuthi kubalwe imifino esele epuletini bese kubonakala ukuthi udle engakanani. Kwenziwa izivivinyo zokuqhathanisa ukuze kufinyelelwe eziphethweni phakathi kwesikhathi sangaphambi kwesivivinyo, isikhathi sokungenelela kanye nesikhathi sangemva kwesivivinyo. Imiphumela: Sezizonke, izingane ezazikulolu cwaningo zazingama-31 (abafana abayi-17, amantombazane ayi-14). Abazali babika izaqathe (65%), amazambane (61%) kanye notamatisi (55%) njengemifino eyayivame ukudliwa kakhulu emahoreni 6 angama-24 adlulile. Ngokwalokhu kungenelela, wawungekho umehluko omkhulu ekudliweni kwemifino (izaqathe nobhontshisi) phakathi kwala maqembu ahlukaniswe ngokweminyaka yobudala ngezinsuku zangaphambi kwesivivinyo, zokungenelela noma zangemva kwesivivinyo. Kulo lonke leli qembu, kwenyuka kakhulu ukudliwa kwezaqathe kwaba ama-13.3% (t (30) = -3.99, p<0.001) kusukela ekungeneleleni (69.0, ±32.1%) kuya esikhathini sangemva kwesivivinyo (82.2, ±23.9%), kanye nokwenyuka kwama-7.1% okusuka esikhathini sangaphambi kwesivivinyo (75.1, ±28.3%) kuya esikhathini sangemva kwesivivinyo (82.2, ±23.9%), (t (30) = -2.09, p=0.045). Ngendlela efanayo, kwenyuka ngama-9% ukudliwa kukabhontshisi oluhlaza (t (30) = -3.04, p=0.005) kusukela esikhathini sokungenelela (53.1, ±36.6%) kuya esikhathini sangemva kwesivivinyo (62.1, ±35.0%). Isiphetho: Lolu cwaningo luveze ukuthi ukungenelela kusetshenziswa opopayi abajabulile abangamaqhawe anamandla nokuthi balokhu bevezwa ngokuphindelela kuyaphumelela ekukhuthazeni izingane ezineminyaka emi-3 kuya kweyi-6 ukuba zidle imifino esikhungweni se-ECD. Kunconywa ukuba izingane zikhuthazwe ukudla imifino kusetshenziswa izithombe zabalingiswa futhi ziboniswe zona ngokuphindelela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izingane kufanele zidle ukudla zisendaweni engenaziphazamiso. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo yenezela kahle emininingweni eyisisekelo futhi iveza ukuthi kunesidingo sokwenziwa kocwaningo olwengeziwe ngezinhlelo ezinkulu kakhulu zokungenelela.

Life and Consumer Sciences

M.C.S.