Sesame Street…or CELERY Street?
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
Brussel sprouts or brownies? Hmm…which will MY kid choose? We’ve all heard you are what you eat. BUT what if you are what you WATCH?
Meet Frans Folkvord of Tilburg University and team! They wondered – could TV help kids be healthier eaters?
To find out, they had over one-hundred preteens watch one of three short TV shows at school. One featured crispy french fries with mayo. One starred fresh vegetables. And the third? No mention of food at all!
After each clip, the youngsters got to pick a snack. Healthy apples or cucumbers…versus not-so-healthy chips or pretzels.
Results? Veggie TV encouraged healthy eating! Kids that watched the show about vegetables were more likely to reach for healthy snacks.
The researchers hope to broadcast healthy cooking shows in other schools soon! Helping kids make better diet choices, one episode at a time.
In the meantime, an extra side of veggies with the TV dinner – Please!