Receiving fruits and vegetables improved vitality; receiving a voucher did not
Over two weeks, young adults who ate little fruit reported more vitality when food was delivered directly. With messages and a voucher, they ate more but did not show this change.
The key idea
Having fruit and vegetables delivered changed measures of vitality and everyday meaning; a voucher and messages did not, although reported consumption increased.
The study, in plain language
Young adults ages 18 to 25 who ate few fruits and vegetables were randomized for two weeks to three groups: continue their usual diet, receive messages and a voucher to buy produce, or receive a bag of produce. Each night they recorded how they felt, and blood samples were taken before and after.
Both intervention groups reported greater consumption than the comparison group. Those who received the food also showed favorable changes in vitality and in a measure of well-being that asks about interest in activities and meaning in everyday life. The messages-and-voucher group did not show the same pattern.
Depression and anxiety symptoms did not improve differently from the comparison group. Eating more and changes in how people experienced their day were separate outcomes that depended on the intervention and the measure. There are limitations: follow-up lasted two weeks, several measures were self-reported, and the food-delivery group started with lower vitality.
What they found
- Both interventions increased reported consumption to nearly four servings per day, compared with fewer than three in the comparison group.
- Only those who received the food improved in vitality and in the meaning they found in everyday life.
- Depression and anxiety symptoms did not improve differently from the comparison group.
How they studied it
One hundred seventy-one young adults ages 18 to 25 who ate few fruits and vegetables were randomized to three groups: usual diet, messages and a voucher, or food delivery for 14 days. They completed daily reports of how they felt and blood tests before and after. Fruit and vegetable consumption and well-being measures were self-reported.
What the study cannot show
- Follow-up lasted two weeks and several measures were self-reported. The food-delivery group started with lower vitality.
- Curiosity, creativity, and motivation were exploratory measures. The trial did not evaluate these interventions as treatments for depression or anxiety.
Something to think about
When a campaign says it achieved results, what was measured: what people said they ate, or how they felt? Here those were two different outcomes.
The original study
Let them eat fruit! The effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on psychological well-being in young adults: A randomized controlled trial
Source under CC BY 4.0. English adaptation and explanation by PaperFlow, with AI assistance. The text has been reorganized for a general audience; it is not the complete paper and does not imply endorsement by its authors.
One study alone does not represent a field's consensus. Educational content does not replace professional advice. Report a possible error.
