A randomized control trial of a Canadian-based school food program on the home food environment.

Within the family, children are important influencers of nutrition and exert their influence both in household food purchases and mealtime decisions. As such, children may use their influence to produce changes in food consumption for all family members. This study evaluated whether providing students with fruit and vegetables at school as part of a government-funded snack program would produce changes in family and household nutrition. Specifically, this study examined if the availability of fruit and vegetables at home could be increased through children requesting the same food served at school, as well as if parents would model the behaviour of eating more fruit and vegetables in front of their children. Results of this study found that providing children with fruit and vegetables at school did not increase the availability of fruit and vegetables at home or encourage parents to eat more fruit and vegetables in front of their children. However, strengthening the argument that children may influence family nutrition, children's fruit and vegetable intakes were shown to influence parents' intakes. These findings suggest that, instead of only providing fruit and vegetables to children, future nutrition initiatives should include additional components, such as hands-on activities and parental engagement.