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Improving children's dairy food and calcium intake: can intervention work? A systematic review of the literature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2012

Gilly A Hendrie*
Affiliation:
CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences, PO Box 10041, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
Emily Brindal
Affiliation:
CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences, PO Box 10041, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
Danielle Baird
Affiliation:
CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences, PO Box 10041, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
Claire Gardner
Affiliation:
CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences, PO Box 10041, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
*
*Corresponding author: Email gilly.hendrie@csiro.au
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Abstract

Objective

Strategies are needed to address the shortfall in children's dairy food and Ca intakes. The present review identified interventions targeting an increase in children's dairy food or Ca intakes, and determined characteristics associated with successful intervention.

Design

A systematic literature search identified fourteen intervention studies, published in English, between 1990 and 2010. Studies were evaluated for study population, setting and mode of delivery, dietary targets and outcome measures, measures of intervention intensity, intervention description, the use of behaviour change techniques and intervention effectiveness.

Setting

Interventions targeting an increase in dairy food or Ca intake.

Subjects

Children aged 5–12 years.

Results

Ten of the fourteen studies were considered to be effective. Studies focusing on encouraging intake of dairy foods or Ca alone were all effective, compared with 55 % of studies promoting dairy within the context of a healthy diet. Effective interventions tended to be higher in intensity, provide dairy foods and were delivered across a variety of settings to a range of primary targets. The number of behaviour change techniques used did not differentiate effective and ineffective interventions, but the use of taste exposure and prompting practice appeared to be important for effective intervention.

Conclusions

Interventions that target an increase in children's dairy food or Ca intake could potentially increase children's dairy food intake by about one serving daily. Research conducted outside the USA is needed. The review has identified some promising strategies likely to be part of effective interventions for improving dairy and Ca intakes in countries where children's intake is insufficient.

Information

Type
Interventions
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2012
Figure 0

Fig. 1Quorum statement flow diagram: interventions focused on children's dairy food or calcium intake (*duplicates were removed by an information specialist prior to this step)

Figure 1

Table 1Frequency of intervention characteristics and behaviour change techniques associated with intervention effectiveness*

Figure 2

Table 2Summary of intervention requirements and overall intensity ratings

Figure 3

Table 3Frequency of studies utilising different targets of behaviour change techniques

Figure 4

Table 4Summary of findings: promising strategies and modes of delivery likely to be part of effective intervention for improving children's dairy food and calcium intakes

Supplementary material: File

Hendrie Supplementary Material

Supplementary Material

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Supplementary material: File

Hendrie Supplementary Material

Table

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