Research supporting young adults in rural and regional areas of Victoria to eat more vegetables.
About the study
This study explores how combining the Veg4Me app with a vegetable prescription program could support young adults (aged 18–35) in rural and regional Victoria to eat more vegetables.
As part of the broader Plus One Serve by 2030 program, this project contributes to a national effort to increase vegetable intake by one serve per person per day by 2030.
Diets high in vegetables promote better health and support a more sustainable future. But less than 3% of young adults living in rural and regional areas eat the recommended 5–6 serves of vegetables per day. Common reasons for low vegetable consumption include lack of access to fresh and affordable produce, and lack of confidence to cook and prepare vegetables.
Veg4Me addresses these barriers by combining behavioural support with practical access to fresh vegetables.
The project is led by the Deakin Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, in partnership with the Heart Foundation, City of Greater Bendigo, The George Institute for Global Health and The University of Sydney, and supported by Hort Innovation.
Veg4Me app
The Veg4Me app was designed together with young adults in rural and regional communities. It offers personalised recipes, a geo-located food environment map and healthy eating resources to make eating vegetables easy, affordable and convenient. These tools are designed to support real-world, everyday use and build confidence and healthy habits in young people.
Vegetable prescription
A ‘vegetable prescription’ program, providing locally sourced vegetable boxes, will be developed to support local producers and increase demand for vegetables in rural and regional communities.
Statewide trial
This project will test the feasibility of providing vegetable boxes alongside use of the Veg4Me behaviour change app. The research team will investigate the effects on vegetable intake, confidence to eat and cook vegetables, shopping and food preparation, and overall diet quality.
Researchers will conduct a randomised controlled trial of the program across rural and regional Victoria. Young adults will be randomly allocated to one of two groups: access to the Veg4Me app only; or the Veg4Me app together with a vegetable prescription.
Impact and translation
This project will help us understand practical, scalable ways for young adults in rural and regional areas to eat more vegetables. By contributing to Plus One Serve’s objective of increasing vegetable intake by one extra serve per person each day, it has the potential to improve national health outcomes.
“Our research has shown that Veg4Me can make a positive difference to young people’s shopping and cooking routines and hopefully establish healthy food habits that will continue throughout their lives. We now want to test if providing vegetable boxes will further support these healthy food habits.”
Find out more about the award-winning Veg4Me program
The Veg4Me app was initially co-designed and developed with young adults living in rural and regional areas of Victoria and WA, then tested with young adults in rural and regional Victoria, in projects supported by the Heart Foundation.
Project funding
Plus One Serve: Digital application to support increased vegetable intake in rural communities (HN24006) is funded through Hort Innovation Frontiers with co-investment from Deakin University, the George Institute, the University of Sydney and contributions from the Australian Government.
Contact us
Get in touch with the research team to learn more about this project.