Exploring ways to promote children’s fruit and vegetable intake at meal and snack times

It is widely known that fruit and vegetables are beneficial for children’s health, both in the short and long-term. However, most children do not eat sufficient amounts of fruit and vegetables each day: fewer than one in five UK children eat the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables and one in three 5–10-year-olds eat less than one portion of vegetables a day (NHS Digital, 2018; The Food Foundation, 2020).

Public health strategies have been created across the world to tackle this systemic issue; however, these strategies currently have limited success and novel approaches need to be explored with immediacy.

This exciting research programme will look to use a mixed-methodological approach to explore various psychological influences and drivers of children’s fruit and vegetable intake, and how the specific context in which the meal or snack is consumed can influence (and be manipulated to increase) fruit and vegetable consumption. The research will involve working with parents/caregivers and children to understand more about effective ways to increase fruit and vegetable intake. Outputs from this research will look to inform policy and guidance for parents, caregivers, care settings and education establishments in regard to best-practice feeding practices for children.

Entry requirements:

Students should have or expect to achieve a 2.1 (or equivalent) undergraduate degree in psychology or a related discipline.

English language requirements:

Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website (http://www.lboro.ac.uk/international/applicants/english/).

Start date:

April 2022, July 2022, October 2022

Full-time/part-time availability:

Full-time (3 years), Part-time (6 years)