Meaghan Kitchen and Tomato project: winner UK MSc award

Parents wield more power than teachers in the “5-a-day” campaign for children

The UK winner of the prestigious Alpro Foundation award, who today was presented with a cheque for 2500 Euros, was Meaghan Kitchen, currently a PhD student. Meaghan graduated with her masters in nutrition obesity and health from the University of Leeds this year. This lively bright and outstanding student is currently in her 1st year of PhD study at Leeds University. Her winning thesis, namely “Process evaluation of a cluster randomized controlled trial of a school based fruit and vegetable intervention: Project Tomato” has led on to her most recent work in evaluating school gardening. Meaghan’s research has been chosen by the Alpro foundations scientific committee as the most outstanding research entry from across the UK & Ireland relating to plant-based nutrition and its impact on health.

In 2004 the government launched a major project to provide free fruit and vegetables in UK schools for children up to 6 years old to encourage them to eat their “5-a-day”.

But once fruit and vegetables are no longer free, how can kids be motivated to eat more?

This new study shows that it is extremely difficult to motivate children through different activities at school. Instead, it seems to be the parents that hold the key to successful higher fruit and vegetable intake in our young.

Meaghan Kitchen said: ”Parents are key to improving children’s fruit and vegetable intake. Parents need be supported to take more of an interest in their children’s diet. Activities which involve children trying fruit and vegetables, whether at home or at school are more likely to have an impact on their 5-a-day.”

The study, named Project Tomato, introduced different teaching interventions in UK schools for 7 year olds, including curriculum lessons, tasting sessions, cooking and gardening club - as well as giving children activities to do at home with their parents.

Researchers recorded how many fruit and vegetables children ate before and after the study, as well as getting parents and teachers to fill in questionnaires about the overall success of the activities.

So does ploughing more resources and efforts into the school curriculum result in better dietary choices of kids….or do parents still have to shoulder the responsibility?

The study does not identify a clear winner. The results were disappointing for schools with only one fifth of the curriculum activities provided implemented by teachers. On the other hand, parents who implemented Project Tomato home activities generated a higher fruit and vegetable consumption in their children compared to parents who did not embrace the project.

Meaghan’s supervisor, Charlotte Evans added: “We are delighted that the hard work of our Masters student Meaghan has been recognised in this important area of public health research.”

Meaghan was delighted to be the winner of the prestigious Alpro Foundation Award and she is wished every success in her future career.

Project Tomato was funded by the National Prevention Research Initiative.

Reference: Kitchen MS, Ransley JK, Greenwood DC, et al. Study protocol: a cluster randomised controlled trial of a school based fruit and vegetable intervention - Project Tomato. BMC Health Services Research 2009;9.