Getting high school-aged students to eat fruits and vegetables isn’t always an easy task. Turns out, however, it’s easier when they understand the cosmetic benefits of fruit and veggie consumption.

Thai high school students ate more fruits and veggies, along with a wider variety of fruits and veggies, when involved in a cosmetic content-based nutrition (CCBNEd) program compared to those in a health content-based program, according to a new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

For the study, three classes of students were randomly assigned to three study groups: experimental group 1 participated in the CCBNEd program; experimental group 2 participated in the health content-based nutrition education (HCBNEd) program; and a comparison group did not participate in a program. All groups received information about fruits and vegetables.

Knowledge about fruits and vegetables, attitudes toward fruit and vegetable consumption, and the amount and variety of fruits and vegetables consumed were measured at baseline, post-test and follow-up.

Experimental groups 1 and 2 (CCBNEd and HCBNEd groups, respectively) had increased knowledge scores and attitude scores at post-test compared to baseline. However, HCBNEd scores decreased at follow-up, whereas CCBNEd scores maintained at follow-up.

Those in the CCBNEd group also reported increased amount and variety of fruits and vegetables consumed at post-test and follow-up, whereas those in the HCBNEd group did not.

The comparison group positively changed only in knowledge at post-test.