CSIRO’s VegEze app helps increase Australians’ low vegetable intake

ALMOST 20 million Australian adults fail to meet their daily dose of greens, but a new smartphone app could be the key to improving our poor performance.

SCIENTISTS are urging Aussies to swipe right for vegetables as almost 20 million adults fail to meet their daily dose of greens.

But a new smartphone app could be the key to improving our poor vegetable scorecard.

Research conducted by CSIRO found more than 19 million Australian adults are having less than five serves of the good stuff per day — the minimum requirement to maintain good health.

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Last year, a 21-day challenge was launched for study participants to include three servings of vegetables with their dinner each night by using an app to track their intake.

More than 4000 Aussies took part using the VegEze app — which includes game-like features and rewards to encourage users to reach their target — with researchers noting a significant increase in vegie intake.

After 21 days, more than 80 per cent of participants were eating three serves of vegetables with dinner.

CSIRO's VegEze App helps people track their vegetable intake

The app keeps people on track by setting challenges and rewarding users when they hit their target.

Scientist Dr Gilly Hendrie said the fresh approach to diet apps proved so successful because the message was “clear and achievable”.

“We say just start with three serves of vegetables at dinner — doesn’t matter what they are, just get them on your plate,” she said.

“As time goes on people can start to experiment in the kitchen and eventually create a habit where having vegetables with dinner becomes the norm.”

Dr Hendrie said the use of an app was a good way to keep people accountable and conscious of their targets.

“People always have their phone on them so it was really useful in creating that behavioural change,” she said.

Rodrigo Melendez and Carla Eustathiou tuck into their vegies. Picture: Wayne Taylor

The study found obese people showed the biggest improvement — by the end of the challenge the percentage of obese men meeting the Australian Dietary Guidelines vegetable recommendations had increased four times to 30 per cent.

Overall men fared better than women in the challenge — but Dr Hendrie noted recent studies found women generally consumed more vegetables than men and this may account for the smaller increase.

The VegEze app helps people track their intake and tally up vegetable serves, with daily reminders and rewards to help people stay motivated and on-track.

This information from will be fed back into CSIRO’s study of Australians’ vegetable consumption, and help analyse the app’s effectiveness as an education initiative to improve Australia’s poor vegetable intake.

The app can be downloaded from iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/vegeze/id1268951104

TIPS FOR EATING MORE VEGETABLES:

— Choose vegetables you like to eat and know how to cook

— Be prepared: Cook double at dinner and save some for lunch the next day

— Snack on vegies such as carrot and celery sticks