LA Sprouts: A 12-Week Gardening, Nutrition, and Cooking Randomized Control Trial Improves Determinants of Dietary Behaviors

Objective: To evaluate the effect of an exploratory 12-week nutrition, cooking, and gardening trial (LA Sprouts) on preference for fruit and vegetables (FV); willingness to try FV; identification of FV; self-efficacy to garden, eat, and cook FV; motivation to garden, eat, and cook FV; attitudes toward FV; nutrition and gardening knowledge; and home gardening habits. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Four elementary schools. Participants: Three hundred four predominately Hispanic/Latino third-through fifth-grade students were randomized to either the LA Sprouts group (n = 167 students) or control group (n = 137 students). Intervention: Twelve-week after-school nutrition, cooking, and gardening intervention. Main Outcome Measures: Determinants of dietary behavior as measured by questionnaire at baseline and postintervention. Analysis: Analyses of covariance. Results: After the 12-week program, compared with controls, LA Sprouts participants improved scores for identification of vegetables (+11% vs +5%; P = .001) and nutrition and gardening knowledge (+14.5% vs -5.0%; P = .003), and were more likely to garden at home (+7.5% vs -4.4%; P = .003). Conclusions: The LA Sprouts program positively affected a number of determinants of dietary behaviors that suggest possible mechanisms by which gardening and nutrition education act to improve dietary intake and health outcomes.