# Family environment and frequency of vegetable consumption among children aged 6 to 12 years

## TL;DR

This study explores how family environment and parental factors influence children's vegetable consumption habits between the ages of 6 and 12.

## Contribution

The study highlights the importance of examining parental factors individually to better understand children's vegetable consumption.

## Key findings

- Parental nutritional knowledge influences the frequency of vegetable consumption in children.
- Parents with lower nutritional knowledge have lower vegetable consumption and are more willing to increase it.
- Factors like interest and perceived health benefits are positively correlated with vegetable consumption.

## Abstract

Daily consumption of vegetables in recommended quantities is associated with health benefits. Its intake during the early years of life plays an essential role in the development of healthier eating habits. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of children’s eating behavior towards vegetables by exploring the frequency of consumption along with certain parental factors within the family environment of children between 6 and 12 years old.

Factors such as nutritional knowledge (NK), frequency of vegetable consumption (FVC), interest in vegetable consumption, personal appreciation for vegetable consumption, and awareness of the health benefits associated with their consumption were examined.

The parental factors studied showed a positive correlation for some of the vegetables studied. Therefore, the necessity to study these factors individually rather than in groups is evident. Additionally, NK was found to influence the consumption of some of the vegetables studied.

Despite being aware of the health benefits associated with its intake, parents with lower levels of NK were shown to have lower FVCs and a greater willingness to increase their consumption. Therefore, increasing the parents’ FVC is necessary to improve their children’s FVC.

Flowchart illustrating factors influencing the frequency of vegetable consumption in children aged six to twelve. Central focus is on parents' frequency of vegetable consumption, surrounded by nutritional knowledge, interest in vegetables, self-perception, and perceived health benefits. An arrow connects to images of vegetables, representing children's consumption frequency.