Volume 31, Issue 2: April, 2004

Abstract

Goal Setting Is Differentially Related to Change in Fruit, Juice, and Vegetable Consumption Among Fourth-Grade Children

Karen Weber Cullen, DrPH, RD, LD, Issa Zakeri, PhD, Erin W. Pryor, MPH, RD, Tom Baranowski, PhD, Janice Baranowski, MPH, RD, LD, and Kathy Watson, MS

The impact of goal attainment in a dietary change program to increase fruit, 100% juice, and vegetable consumption was assessed among fourth-grade students. At each session, the students were given goals related to increasing fruit, juice, and vegetable consumption. Baseline consumption and postconsumption were assessed with up to 4 days of computerized dietary recalls. Analyses included regression models predicting postconsumption from the numbers of fruit-juice goals, vegetable goals, or total number of general goals attained, respectively. For students with low baseline fruit-juice preferences, attaining more fruit-juice goals resulted in increased post–fruit-juice consumption. Among those with low baseline vegetable consumption, attaining one vegetable goal was related to higher post–vegetable consumption. For boys and those with high baseline fruit, juice, and vegetable consumption, attaining three general goals was related to increased fruit, juice, and vegetable intake. The results show that goal attainment was somewhat effective in promoting dietary change among children.