Effects of a kindergarten intervention on vegetables served and staff’s food-related practices: results of a cluster randomized controlled trial – the BRA study

The study evaluates the effect of the BRA intervention (Barnehage, gRønnsaker and fAmilie) on kindergarten children’s intake of vegetables in terms of frequency, variation and amount of vegetables served. In addition, the researchers investigate the effect of the intervention on changes in staff’s food-related practices in kindergarten.  

The results show that the children in the intervention group increased the intake and variety of vegetables per person compared to the children in the control group. No differences were found between the groups regarding how often the children were served vegetables or the staff’s practices of serving vegetables.

The study was a cluster randomised-controlled study with 73 participating kindergartens in Eastern Norway. The kindergartens were divided into an intervention group and a control group, where the kindergarten employees in the intervention group received training and were given materials and resources to increase knowledge about how to prepare vegetable dishes. The data material was collected using questionnaires on the variation and frequency of vegetables served and staff’s food-related practices, as well as a vegetable diary in which the amount of vegetables served at the department was noted.

Himberg-Sundet, A., Kristiansen, A. L., Andersen, L. F., Bjelland, M. & Lien, N. (2020). "Effects of a kindergarten intervention on vegetables served and staff’s food-related practices: results of a cluster randomized controlled trial – the BRA study”. Public Health Nutrition, 23(6):1117-1126.