Learning about Nutrition through Activities (LANA) is a direct education and PSE change intervention designed to create supportive environments and provide role models that encourage preschool children to enjoy eating fruits and vegetables. The LANA Preschool Program is based on well-established nutrition education and behavior-change theories. LANA helps children learn to eat more fruits and vegetables by increasing opportunities for children to taste and eat fruits and vegetables, providing opportunities for hands-on experiences with fruits and vegetables, creating a supportive environment for eating fruits and vegetables, providing children with role models who eat fruits and vegetables and connecting classroom or child care activities with their home environment.
- Evaluated
- Pilot Tested
The LANA Preschool Program began with a study conducted by The Minnesota Department of Health through a grant from The National Cancer Institute. The study was conducted with preschool children, their parents, and staff in twenty child care centers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area of Minnesota.
Comparing children that participated in the LANA Program to those that did not, it was found that those involved in the LANA program ate significantly more vegetables at lunch as well as more total fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Total vegetable intake was significantly higher at follow-up. Other results showed that the LANA program:
- Increased consumption of targeted fruits and vegetables in the childcare setting
- Increased servings of fruits and vegetables at home
- Reduced “pickiness” and fear of trying new foods
In addition, as a result of the LANA program:
- 76% of providers offer fruits and vegetables more often at snack time
- Parents offer targeted foods more often (81%)
- Parents are more likely to complement their children for tasting a new food (58.7%) and are more likely to say something positive about the food their child is eating (60%)