Relevance

Eating a nutrient-rich diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables is an essential component of healthy development. However, an analysis of the National Survey of Children’s Health from 2021 revealed that nationwide approximately 30% of young children, aged one through five, consumed fruit less than daily and approximately 50% of young children consumed vegetables less than daily during the preceding week. The proportion of young children in Kentucky who consumed fruit and vegetables less than daily was only slightly higher than national averages, 43% and 54%, respectively, implicating a critical need to support daily consumption of fruit and vegetables.

Response

The Eating Over the Rainbow – A Fruit and Vegetable a Day Challenge (the Challenge) reached children and families with health messages where they were and when it was convenient to receive, which was significant for this audience with schedules that are often overflowing. This program was developed for use throughout August 2023 (Kids Eat Right Month® and National Farmers Market Week) to intentionally encourage the development of new behaviors when produce is most plentiful and options are available to purchase local produce when it is most flavorful. The Challenge package included six elements – social media posts, podcasts, television spots, health bulletins, information releases, and reinforcement materials – that were shared through state and local Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences outlets with fruit/vegetable preparation and consumption information messages to directly reach caregivers and families with young children.

Results

Extension is in the business of transforming lives through research-based education. Healthy eating patterns impact children, both now and in the future.  Encouraging increased fruit and vegetable consumption when children are developing eating habits, may improve health outcomes later in life. Through the Challenge, we extended the message of Extension to not only share information about how to support increased fruit and vegetable consumption among children but to also begin shaping the social norms around those behaviors.  The Challenge reached 221,923 contacts during its initial roll-out. This number includes 32,948 direct contacts and 188,975 indirect contacts from direct communication (193), health bulletin distribution (32,755), social media posts (81,023), podcasts (2,952), and television spots (105,000.)

Public Value Statement

Community-wide marketing campaigns promoting fruit and vegetable consumption, such as the Eating Over the Rainbow – A Fruit and Vegetable A Day Challenge, encourage families with young children to eat at least one fruit and veggie each day so that they can explore, grow strong, learn, and play.