Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-11-2025
Abstract
Introduction
Prosocial behaviors (i.e., being kind, caring, and cooperative) are believed to shape health and well-being starting in childhood. Yet, limited research has examined their long-term impact on health outcomes later in life. This study examined associations between childhood prosocial behaviors and fruit and vegetable consumption patterns across adolescence.Methods
Participants were from the United Kingdom Millennium Cohort Study (N=6,265). Caregivers reported children’s prosocial behaviors using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at ages 5 (2005–2007), 7 (2007–2009), and 11 (2011–2013) years. In 2024, Poisson regression was conducted to assess the associations between prosocial behaviors at age 5 years and sustained healthy levels of self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption across ages 14 (2014–2016) and 17 (2017–2019) years, defined as eating ≥2 portions of each daily. To evaluate heterogeneity by developmental stage, secondary analyses considered associations with prosocial behaviors at ages 7 and 11 years. All analyses adjusted for relevant confounders.Results
More engagement in prosocial behaviors at age 5 years was associated with a greater likelihood of sustaining healthy fruit and vegetable consumption over time (adjusted prevalence ratio per 1 SD=1.14; 95% CI=1.02, 1.27). Comparable associations were observed with prosocial behaviors at ages 7 (adjusted prevalence ratio per 1 SD=1.12; 95% CI=1.03, 1.23) and 11 (adjusted prevalence ratio per 1 SD=1.13; 95% CI=1.03, 1.24) years.Conclusions
Greater engagement in prosocial behaviors was related to healthy fruit and vegetable consumption patterns across adolescence with comparable associations when prosocial behaviors were measured at ages 5, 7, and 11 years. These findings suggest fostering prosociality throughout childhood may be a novel intervention strategy to promote healthy eating.Recommended Citation
Qureshi F, Woodward KP, Kubzansky LD, Boehm JK. Kind kids, healthy teens: Child prosociality and fruit and vegetable intake. Am J Prev Med. 2025;69(4):107965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2025.107965
Copyright
Elsevier
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Included in
Child Psychology Commons, Health Psychology Commons, Maternal and Child Health Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Other Public Health Commons
Comments
NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine, volume 69, issue 4, in 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2025.107965
The Creative Commons license below applies only to this version of the article.