Outdoor Learning Environments as Active Food Systems: Effectiveness of the Preventing Obesity by Design Gardening Component

<b>Objective:</b> To assess the impact of a Gardening Component on 4–5 year olds enrolled in 15 childcare centers in Wake County, North Carolina, using a waitlist/control group, randomized controlled trial research design (2017–2022).<br><b>Description:</b> Fifteen centers were selected in 2018 and randomly assigned to intervention/waitlist/control groups to evaluate the impact of fruit and vegetable (FV) gardening on children's physical activity, FV liking, FV knowledge, and FV consumption. A standardized approach to garden installation was used locating six identical raised planting beds (8' x 2') at each intervention center, with similar, controlled growing conditions. Six FV types were selected and planted consistently at each center. Physical activity was measured using accelerometers. Fruit and vegetable liking and knowledge was measured via a modified electronic method (Carraway-Stage, et la.2014) using portable tablets. Fruit and vegetable consumption was measured using the Fr