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Peanut butter significantly increased vegetable consumption in children
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The Obesity Society’s 27th Annual Scientific Meeting
Vegetable intake in children was significantly increased when peanut butter was offered as an accompaniment, which may further protect children against becoming overweight, according to data presented this week at the Obesity Society’s 27th Annual Scientific Meeting.
“We know that the children in our intervention program lose weight overall, but we were trying to find out what was making them lose weight,” Chermaine Tyler, PhD, instructor in the department of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told Endocrine Today. “So we looked at the vegetable intake, and when we told them to eat it with the peanut butter, their vegetable intake increased.”
Tyler and colleagues compared the two methods of increasing vegetable consumption in 77 children aged 11 to 13 years included in a weight management program. Thirty-eight children who reported eating no vegetables on block dietary data collected at baseline were determined to be “vegetable resistant” (47% girls).
Study participants were randomized to either a vegetable with peanut butter group or a vegetable only group. All participants were exposed to the same vegetables: carrots, celery and broccoli. Vegetable consumption was followed from baseline to six months.
Significant increases in vegetable consumption occurred in vegetable-resistant children included in the vegetable with peanut butter group vs. vegetable-resistant children in the vegetable only group (P<.001).
While children in the vegetable with peanut butter group significantly increased the amount of vegetables consumed (t=–5.70; P<.001), children in the vegetable only group maintained their overall vegetable consumption (t=.77). In addition, similar patterns were found for variety of vegetables consumed (F=18.95; P<.001).
“To get a child to increase vegetable consumption, physicians should actually hand them the peanut butter along with the vegetable. Give them an opportunity to try it, don’t just tell them,” Tyler said. – by Jennifer Southall
For more information:
- Tyler C. #482-P. Presented at: the Obesity Society’s 27th Annual Scientific Meeting; Oct. 24-28, 2009; Washington.
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