Tooty Fruity Vegie program

• Reach:

  National

• Focus area:

  Mainstream

• Status:

  Current

• Evaluated:

  Yes

Overview

The Tooty Fruity Vegie project started out as a two-year, health promotion program aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among primary school children in the North Coast of NSW. The long-term goal of the project was to reduce heart disease and obesity in the community, by working with primary school children to develop healthy eating habits early in life.

The project used a whole-of-school approach in implementing a range of evidence-based school and community strategies promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in ten selected schools in North Coast of New South Wales.

The success of the Tooty Fruity Vegie project was acknowledged with the presentation of the Working Partnership Excellence Award and the Minister's Award at the Baxter Better Health Good Health Care Awards in October 2001.

In July 2003, the Tooty Fruity Vegie team organised a workshop titled " How to work with primary schools to increase vegetable and fruit consumption by children", in order to introduce this ground breaking local health model to other parts of Australia. The workshop received an overwhelming response from across Australia.

The project has now been successfully implemented in approximately 50 schools within the North Coast of New South Wales. This website has been developed so that all schools have access to the strategies and resources to implement the program in their own school settings.

For details of the initial two year project and related publications see the 'Tooty Fruity pilot project' in the Nutrition Programs and Projects section.

Contacts

North Coast Area Health Service
NSW Health

Related publications

Newell S, Huddy A, Adams J, Miller M, Holden L, Dietrich U (2004)

The Tooty Fruity Vegie project: changing knowledge and attitudes about fruits and vegetables.

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health; 28(3): 288-295

• Links
• View abstract: The Tooty Fruity Vegie project: changing knowledge and attitudes about fruits and vegetables
• View article: The Tooty Fruity Vegie project: changing knowledge and attitudes about fruits and vegetables (PDF - 54.6 KB)
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Huddy AD, Adams JK, Holden L, Newell S, van Beurden E, Dietrich UC (2003)

Fruits and vegies in lunchboxes - accuracy of a prospective 24 hour food record for primary school children.

Health Promotion Journal of Australia; 14: 41-143

• Links
• View abstract: Fruits and vegies in lunchboxes - accuracy of a prospective 24 hour food record for primary school children (PDF - 147.3 KB)

Huddy AD, Adams JK, Holden L, Newell S, Miller M, Dietrich UC (2003)

The Tooty Fruity Vegie project- A collaboration between education, health, and the community.

Health Education Australia; 3: 17-21

• Links
• No links available.

Adams J, Huddy A, Holden L, Newell S, Miller M, Dietrich U (2003)

The Tooty Fruity Vegie project- a recipe for successful volunteer participation in primary schools.

Health Promotion Journal of Australia; 14: 187-191

• Links
• View abstract: The Tooty Fruity Vegie project- a recipe for successful volunteer participation in primary schools (PDF - 148.2 KB)

Evaluated publications

Adams J, Pettitt J, Newell S (2004)

Tooty fruity vegie project: final report to National Child Nutrition Program Phase 2 (2002-2003).

Lismore, NSW: Health Promotion Unit, Northern Rivers Area Health Service

• Links
• View report: Tooty fruity vegie project: final report to National Child Nutrition Program Phase 2 (2002-2003) (PDF - 169.4 KB)
• View website: NSW North Coast Area Health Service

Links

• View website: North Coast Area Health Service, NSW
• View website: Tooty Fruity Vegie Program