Parents underestimate how much fruit and veg children need, Swedish study finds

Parents of 10- to 12-year-olds generally understand that fruit and vegetables are healthy, but many do not know how much children should eat or how to fit them into daily meals.

Parents may know that fruit and vegetables are good for children, but new research from Sweden suggests many still misjudge how much their children should be eating and how those foods fit into a full day’s diet. In a qualitative study published in BMC Public Health, researchers found that parents of 10- to 12-year-olds generally understood that fruit and vegetables support health, yet many assumed vegetables served at dinner were enough and did not know the recommended daily amount. The findings come against the backdrop of a Swedish dietary survey showing that only 5% of children in that age group met the national recommendation of 500 grams a day, with average intake well below that level.

The study team interviewed 15 parents from two areas in southern Sweden, one a larger multicultural city and the other a smaller village, in order to capture a range of family backgrounds and circumstances. Most participants were mothers. Their answers pointed to a common pattern: parents tended to associate fruit and vegetables with vitamins, minerals, growth, energy and immunity, but far fewer connected them with longer-term health. None of the parents said they knew the official recommendation for children, although four arrived at the correct figure when asked to estimate it.

Parents also described a diet environment shaped by mixed messages. Some worried that fruit contained too much sugar or that pesticides made non-organic produce less desirable, while others said they were unsure which nutrition advice to trust. Information came from relatives, friends, schools, health professionals, television, the internet, podcasts and social media, but several parents said guidance from child-health nurses became less visible as children grew older. The researchers found that fruit and vegetables often seemed to receive less attention than heavily processed foods in wider food messaging, which may add to confusion about what children should eat and how often.

Everyday realities strongly influenced what was served at home. Children’s tastes, texture preferences and appearance mattered, as did family routines, sibling differences, shared custody arrangements, cultural traditions and household budgets. Parents said they used a range of strategies: offering fruit as snacks, cutting produce into smaller pieces, serving vegetables raw or cooked, making food look more appealing and keeping alternatives on hand. When money was tight, some bought seasonal produce, chose discounted items, froze berries or gave children first access to the fruit and vegetables available.

The researchers grouped parents’ approaches into four overlapping roles. Some acted as enforcers, using rules, pressure or hidden ingredients to get children to eat immediately. Others were accommodators, adapting food to preferences and making it more available. Teachers tried to explain the benefits of fruit and vegetables and involved children in preparation. Role models focused on setting an example through their own eating habits and family routines. The researchers stressed that these roles describe reported behaviour rather than proven methods, and that the study was too small and narrowly selected to be statistically representative. Still, the findings suggest that parents may need clearer, more practical guidance on how much fruit and vegetables children need, why they matter and how to build them into daily meals.