The pro children study: conceptualization, baseline results and intervention development of a european effort to promote fruit and vegetable consumption in schoolchildren.

There is international consensus that a high fruit and vegetable intake is good for health; increasing fruit and vegetable consumption is one of the main dietary recommendations in the World Health Organization’s global strategy on diet, physical activity and health and fruit and vegetable promotion is likewise part of health promotion goals in many countries. This is not surprising because fruits and vegetables are a primary source of diverse micronutrients and minerals, nonnutrient antioxidants and dietary fi bers. Furthermore, a large body of evidence shows that an ample amount of fruit and vegetable in the daily diet contributes to lower risks for cardiovascular disease, cancer but see Hung et al. for recent evidence that the cancer prevention effects of fruit and vegetable may be more doubtful), and obesity. […]