Search Results (104)

Inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with increased risk of chronic disease. Yet, many individuals consume below the recommended intake according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). This study aimed to examine the association of adherence to the DGA (2020–2025) recommendations for fruit and vegetable (FV) intake of 1.5–2 cups of fruits and 2–3 cups of vegetables daily for adults among caretakers with a child(ren) living in households eligible for a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 85 caretakers with children in an urban neighborhood of low-income in the Bronx, New York (NY). Log-binomial regressions demonstrated that having more children (RR 1.36; 95% CI 1.15–1.59), younger children (RR 1.22; 95% CI 1.07–1.39), or children participating in a school lunch program (RR 1.47; 95% CI 1.16–1.85) was positively associated with caretakers’ probability of adhering to the DGA recommendations for FV intake. Our study highlights the eating behaviors of families living with children ≤ 10 years of age, many of whom were participating in a school lunch program, and underscores the dietary benefits associated with these characteristics. Full article

Background/objective: This study determined the prevalence of dietary behaviours and examined their relationship with nutritional status among Malaysian school-based adolescents. Methods: Data from 33,523 adolescents who participated in the Adolescent Health Survey (AHS 2022) were analysed. Multiple logistic regression was employed to assess associations between dietary behaviours and nutritional status, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Our findings demonstrated a double burden of malnutrition, with 6.8% stunting, 8.3% thinness, and 30.5% overweight/obese. High prevalence of inadequate daily intake of fruit and vegetables (FV) (83.9%) and insufficient daily dairy consumption (62.7%) was observed. Approximately one-third of adolescents reported frequent fast-food consumption (i.e., at least one day per week) (35.4%) and daily intake of carbonated soft drinks (32.4%). Daily carbonated soft drink consumption was associated with higher odds of overweight/obesity (aOR:1.11; 95% CI:1.04–1.20), highlighting the need to prioritise the public health strategies aimed at reducing sugar intake. Conversely, inadequate FV intake (aOR:0.88; 95% CI:0.81–0.95) and frequent fast-food consumption (aOR:0.87; 95% CI:0.82–0.94) were associated with lower odds of overweight/obesity, while insufficient daily dairy intake was associated with lower odds of thinness (aOR:0.83; 95% CI:0.73–0.94). These negative associations should be interpreted cautiously due to possible reverse causality and reporting bias. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of strengthening nutrition education and the food environment among Malaysian adolescents. Full article

Background: Encouraging fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption early in childhood is important for long-term healthy eating. Though parents play an important role in shaping children’s FV-related taste preferences and consumption, validated instruments assessing the range of parenting practices that specifically support young children’s FV intake are scarce. Furthermore, little attention has been given to low-income families, cultural inclusivity, and FV practices across different settings. The current study sought to conduct an initial examination and explore the measurement equivalency of a new FV parenting practices questionnaire (FVPPQ) across racially/ethnically diverse groups that address these gaps. Methods: Data for this paper came from a large project focused on parents’ FV parenting practices with young children enrolled in Head Start programs in the southern part of the U.S. Inclusion criteria were (a) parent/legal guardian being eighteen or older, (b) being the primary person responsible for child feeding, and (c) the child not requiring a special diet (e.g., diabetic). Using a multi-phases project approach, we (1) developed a preliminary conceptual map of parenting practice domains by reviewing existing measures on FV parenting practices; (2) completed and content-analyzed data from 18 focus groups (n = 62) to identify and further revise the preliminary conceptual map of domains, (3) administered a questionnaire with 11 domains of FV parenting practices, and then (4) empirically explored and reduced the measure while evaluating its content, construct, and criterion validity, and cultural equivalency across Non-Hispanic White, Hispanic White, and Black parents (n = 281). Results: Findings from Phases 1 and 2 generated a 107-item questionnaire that was reduced during phase 3 through a series of principal component and confirmatory factor analyses to the final FVPPQ with 21 items in four unique domains, showing good variability and inter-item consistency reliability: (1) Availability (5 items); (2) modeling (5 items); child-focused (5 items); and pressure (6 items). Three of the four domains evidenced cultural equivalency. Conclusions: The FVPPQ with four unique subscales demonstrated good content, construct validity, and partial measurement equivalency across racially/ethnically diverse groups of parents. Further confirmatory validation is warranted in larger samples, but the FVPPQ might be a promising and easily administered measure for research and applied interventions in nutrition, health behavior, and parenting contexts. Full article

Background: Housing is a social determinant of health. In 2015, a lottery assigned low-income families from a waitlist to a new subsidized building (NSB) in Chinatown, Boston, MA. In 2019–2020, we explored associations between housing status (NSB or being on waitlist) and self-rated physical and mental health; household food insecurity (FI); weekly consumption of fruits/vegetables (FV), weekly consumption of soda, and monthly consumption of fast food. Methods: Surveys were sent to NSB (n = 95) and waitlist (n = 2498) households. Logistic and linear regressions explored associations between housing status and outcomes of interest. Models were adjusted for age, sex, Asian background, household size, education, income, employment and distance to the closest food store. Results: A total of 138 respondents completed the survey (NSB = 36, waitlist = 102). Groups were demographically similar. In terms of self-reported health, most respondents reported good/better physical health (Waitlist: 62%, NSB: 60%) and good/better mental health (Waitlist: 68%, NSB: 74%). FI was prevalent among both waitlist households (63%) and NSB households (56%). FV intake was similar among NSB households (13.5 times/week) compared to waitlist households (12.8 times/week). The NSB group reported similar soda consumption (1.7 times/week) compared to the waitlist group (2.3 times/week), along with similar fast-food consumption (NSB: 2.7 times/month, Waitlist: 3.7 times/month). We found no statistically significant associations between housing status and outcomes of interest after adjusting for covariates. Conclusions: In this small sample, outcomes were not significantly different between groups. Future studies should explore mechanisms through which NSB residence affects nutrition and health, particularly in minority populations. Full article

Background: Dementia is a growing global public health concern and identifying modifiable risk and protective factors is crucial for its prevention. Fruits and vegetables, due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may offer neuroprotective benefits. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of adequate fruit and vegetable consumption and its association with dementia and cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND) in individuals aged 50 years and older. Methods: This cross-sectional, population-based study analysed data from 2865 participants in the second wave (2019–2021) of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSI-Brazil). CIND was defined as a global cognitive Z-score ≤ −1.5, and dementia as cognitive decline with impairment in at least one instrumental activity of daily living. Adequate consumption of fruits, vegetables, and both combined (FV) was defined as daily intake on all seven days of the week. Associations were assessed using multivariate Poisson regression models, with prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The study sample consisted of 2865 participants. The prevalence of adequate fruit consumption was 58.08% (95% CI: 56.3–59.9), vegetables 44.14% (95% CI: 42.31–45.9), and FV 32.18% (95% CI: 30.5–33.9). Adequate vegetable consumption was significantly associated with CIND (PR: 0.19; 95% CI: 0.07–0.50; p < 0.001), while adequate fruit consumption was associated with higher prevalence of CIND (PR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.22–1.77) and FV (PR: 0.20; 95% CI: 0.07–1.58; p = 0.003). No significant association was observed between fruit, vegetable, and FV consumption and dementia. Conclusions: Adequate vegetable and combined FV consumption were protective against CIND, though not associated with dementia. Nonetheless, overall adequate intake remains low in older Brazilian adults. Full article

Background: Eating habits such as fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption and breakfast frequency are well recognized for their contribution to overall health and well-being. However, the psychological mechanisms that explain the link between these habits and life satisfaction remain poorly explored among university students in the health sciences. Objective: To examine whether positive affect mediates the relationship between FV consumption, breakfast frequency, and life satisfaction among health sciences students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 511 students. FV consumption, breakfast frequency, positive affect, and life satisfaction were assessed using self-report measures. Mediation models were applied to estimate direct and indirect associations. Results: FV consumption and breakfast frequency were positively associated with both positive affect and life satisfaction. Although the direct associations with life satisfaction were not significant, the indirect associations through positive affect were significant (FV: β = 0.114, 95% CI [0.055, 0.173]; breakfast: β = 0.133, 95% CI [0.073, 0.192]). The model accounted for 51.4% of the variance in life satisfaction. Conclusions: The results highlight the role of positive affect as a psychological mechanism linking everyday eating habits to life satisfaction, emphasizing the need to integrate emotional components into strategies for promoting healthy lifestyles among university populations. Full article

Background/Objectives: Frailty represents a critical aging-related condition, but evidence on how different sources of vitamin C relate to frailty risk remains limited. Thus, this study aimed to examine the relationship between frailty risk and sources of vitamin C intake (dietary, including fruit and vegetable (FV) vs. supplemental) among Korean adults. Method: We analyzed data from 9478 adults in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES 2018–2019). Frailty was assessed using a modified Fried phenotype. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for frailty according to vitamin C intake source. Results: More than 60% of participants had inadequate FV intake. Significant associations were observed primarily in women. Increased FV intake (OR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.264–0.731, comparing the highest intake group (fourth quartile, Q4) vs. the lowest intake group (first quartile, Q1)) for dietary vitamin C intake (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.393–0.914, Q4 vs. Q1) and vitamin C intake from FV (OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.348–0.851, Q4 vs. Q1), was significantly associated with a lower risk of frailty. Women with inadequate FV intake had a higher risk of frailty (OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.34–3.16) compared to those with adequate intake, regardless of vitamin C supplement use. In contrast, vitamin C supplementation was not significantly associated with frailty risk in either men or women. Conclusion: A higher intake of FV and dietary vitamin C, but not supplemental vitamin C, was associated with a lower risk of frailty, particularly among women. These findings suggest that improving overall diet quality through increased FV consumption may be more effective for frailty prevention than relying on single-nutrient supplementation. Full article

Background/Objectives: There is a paucity of research evaluating factors associated with healthy eating behaviors in reproductive-age, non-pregnant women. This study aims to examine the association between sociodemographic, perceived health, and environmental factors with fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption and adherence to dietary recommendations among women of reproductive age who lived, worked, or attended school in Flint, Michigan, during the Flint water crisis (April 2014–October 2015). Methods: This cross-sectional study used data collected from enrollment surveys completed by participants in the Flint Registry (December 2019–2021). Inclusion criteria were females aged 18–55 having complete data on sociodemographic indicator, general health perception, and dietary assessment data (n = 1239). Pearson chi-square measures of association were used to compare frequencies within groups between sociodemographic characteristics, perceived health and wellbeing (PHW), F&V quality/selection, adherence to recommendations, and total F&V intake. Results: Few participants met recommendations for fruits (22.8%) and vegetables (20.3%). Approximately 50.5% reported having access to a wide variety of F&Vs in their neighborhood and perceived F&V quality to be high. Factors significantly associated with meeting F&V recommendations included education, income, homeownership status, and PHW (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Associations between environmental and socioeconomic factors and daily F&V intake among women of reproductive age offer important considerations for designing interventions to improve this demographic’s nutritional status. Results indicate low adherence to recommended F&V intake but perceived access and quality as high in this population. Targeted interventions addressing key components of socioeconomic barriers, perceived access and quality, and perceived wellbeing are needed to improve F&V intake. Full article

Background/Objectives: Fruits and vegetables (F&Vs) are major dietary sources of phytochemicals, crucial for preventing non-communicable diseases. However, barriers such as preparation inconvenience and a short shelf life hinder their consumption. F&V-coated foods have emerged as an alternative. This human nutrition intervention study assessed the effects of a blended F&Vs mixture versus an F&V-coated food on phytochemical absorption and chronic disease risk markers. It also explored how genetic variation influences physiological responses to these F&V products. Methods: In this randomized-controlled trial, participants were assigned to one of three dietary interventions: a blended F&V mixture (“F&V Blend”), a rice-based cereal product coated with this blend (“Coated Pearl”), or the same product without the F&V mixture (“Uncoated Pearl”). The four-week study included a two-week run-in and a two-week intervention phase, each followed by a test day. Measurements included DNA damage resistance (comet assay), plasma antioxidant status (Trolox capacity and superoxide levels), microvasculature health (retinal analysis), and plasma phytochemical concentrations (colorimetric analyses or HPLC). To assess group differences, a linear mixed model was used. Fifteen polymorphic genes related to phytochemical metabolism and oxidative stress were tested using TaqMan and PCR, with outcomes analyzed via ANOVA. Results: The F&V Blend and Coated Pearl products increased plasma carotenoid levels versus the Uncoated Pearl product. Only the F&V Blend improved retinal dilation and DNA resistance. Surprisingly, the Uncoated Pearl product enhanced antioxidant capacity, lowered superoxide levels, and improved retinal microvasculature. Genotype effects were minimal, except for HNF1A, where wildtypes in the Uncoated Pearl group showed a higher antioxidant capacity. Conclusions: Fresh F&Vs were more effective than coated alternatives in improving vascular health and DNA protection. Full article

Fruit and vegetables (F&V) are recommended for a healthy life. Adolescence is a critical period for the onset of eating disorders and future health. F&V consumption among adolescents is globally low, making this group a key target for diet/nutrition-related interventions. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess F&V consumption among secondary school students in the food-insecure communes of Boukombe (rural) and Natitingou (urban), Benin. Using probabilistic random sampling, 303 students completed F&V intake frequency questionnaires and 24-h dietary recalls on school and non-school days. Poisson models identified factors associated with F&V consumption. The results showed that only 8.8% (Boukombe) and 11% (Natitingou) of students consumed fruit at least twice per day, and over 80% of students had not eaten fruit in the preceding 24 h; 9.9% and 11.4%, respectively, consumed vegetables at least twice per day. On average, 45.5% of students in Boukombe and 68% in Natitingou consumed at least three types of vegetables on school days. The most commonly consumed fruits were oranges in Boukombe and lemons in Natitingou. Factors influencing fruit consumption included sex (p = 0.005), age (p = 0.04), and mothers’ occupation (p = 0.03) on school days/and school or non-school days, while commune (p = 0.00017) and ethnic group affected vegetable consumption. Such low F&V consumption among surveyed students is a matter of public health concern, as it is likely to affect their health―in terms of micronutrient deficiency―and intellectual performance. These results should incentivize nutrition researchers, project managers, public health officials, and policymakers to (re)design and implement broader measures targeting secondary school students’ dietary practices to increase their F&V consumption. Full article

Childhood obesity represents a public concern worldwide. Evidence indicates that fruits and vegetables (FV) consumed as part of the daily diet reduce the global burden of obesity. Indeed, FV are rich in bioactive compounds, including carotenoids, which exert health benefits as very potent natural antioxidants. Here, we compared the anthropometric characteristics and the skin carotenoid content between two schoolchildren populations from Southern and Central Italy to evaluate their dietary habits. A sample of 121 and 124 schoolchildren from primary schools in Central and Southern Italy, respectively, was recruited. All participants underwent anthropometric measurements and assessment of the adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) by the KIDMED questionnaire and the skin carotenoid score by Veggie Meter^®. The mean body mass index (BMI) was significantly lower in participants from Central Italy than in those from Southern Italy. A significantly higher percentage of overweight and obesity was found in the overall sample from Southern than in Central Italy. The adherence to the MD was in the average range for both populations, with no gender-related differences. The carotenoid score was higher and negatively correlated with BMI in the schoolchildren from Central Italy. In multiple regression analyses, skin carotenoids were positively associated with the consumption of fruit in the entire sample. This study suggests the importance of increasing FV intake, particularly in Southern Italy, as a strategy for preventingof obesity during the whole lifespan. Further studies are essential to better understand the influence of skin carotenoids on different variables and their potential role as indicators of health status in children. Full article

Background/Objectives: Children spend the most time in school, which can be a friendly environment that encourages students to eat healthy foods, so school is a good place to learn and practice these behaviors. In Palau, public schools offer free lunches to students. Based on the constructs of Social Cognitive Theory, we conducted a pilot study to evaluate the effects of a school nutrition education program (NE) and the provision of more fruits and vegetables (FV) in school lunches on elementary school students’ nutrition knowledge, as well as their attitudes and behaviors regarding fruit and vegetable consumption. Methods: A public elementary school participated in our trial from February to May 2017. While all students (ages 5–12) at the school were provided with free meals through the National School Meal program, only students in grades 4–8 were invited to participate in a four-month nutrition education program and taste-testing activities, during which more fresh fruits and vegetables were incorporated into the school lunches. Participants filled out questionnaires before and after the trial. Results: Our results showed that students in grades 4–8 (n = 92) had improved scores in all nutrition knowledge items after completing the nutrition education course compared to before the course. Among these, the food category, food servings, and total scores showed statistically significant differences. The scores for attitudes and behaviors regarding FVs intake showed an increasing trend after the completion of the course. Further, the age-based analysis revealed that fifth-grade students showed the greatest improvement in their nutrition knowledge scores, with an increase of 38.5%. However, after adjusting for gender, the significance was no longer observed. Regarding attitude and behavior scores toward fruit and vegetable consumption, fourth-grade students showed the greatest improvement, with increases of 10.9% and 6.3%, respectively. Additionally, we tracked the total amount of FVs consumed by the school annually, noting a consistent rise from 1853 pounds in 2017 to 6580 pounds in 2021, a 3.5-fold increase. Conclusions: This pilot study showed that school nutrition education and providing more fresh fruits and vegetables (FVs) can significantly improve children’s nutrition knowledge, while there was only a slight upward trend in attitudes and behaviors toward FV consumption. However, regularly offering nutrition education courses combined with providing more fruits and vegetables in school lunches could effectively increase children’s consumption of these healthy foods. Full article

Hands-on gardening is linked with healthy eating behaviors, increased outdoor activities, and overall well-being, all contributing factors to preventing obesity. Although these positive associations are widely established for adults and school-aged children, little evidence can be found on how such relationships may extend to early childhood, especially in the preschool years (3–5 years). One recent study conducted in North Carolina (NC) showed that participating in hands-on gardening significantly increased preschoolers’ accurate identification of fruits and vegetables (FV) and FV consumption compared to children who did not participate in hands-on gardening, but no association was found between participation in hands-on gardening and the children’s liking (eating preferences) of FV. FV identification and liking during the early years may lead to lifelong healthy eating behaviors and preferences, making hands-on gardening a critical health intervention in early childhood environments, especially in childcare centers where a majority of the 13 million children in the United States between the ages of 0 and 5 spend most of their waking hours. This research aimed to investigate how hands-on gardening in childcare centers may impact preschoolers’ (3–5 years old) FV knowledge (identification) and liking in a semi-arid climate zone with a high concentration of Hispanic families by conducting experimental research with eight childcare centers and one hundred forty-nine children (n = 149) in Lubbock County, located in West Texas. The findings showed changes in average liking scores are generally positive in the experimental group of children who participated in hands-on gardening (compared to the control non-gardening group), implying an improved liking. The findings indicate that the benefits of hands-on gardening in childcare centers for enhancing healthy eating preferences are evident even in a semi-arid climate zone, where high temperatures and limited rainfall present significant gardening challenges. This research underscores the importance of integrating hands-on gardening into childcare programs, highlighting its potential as an effective obesity prevention strategy not only within the US but also in other regions with similar environmental constraints. Full article

The Mediterranean Diet (MD) is characterized by a high intake of fruits and vegetables (FVs), which is considered as an important contributor to the beneficial effects of the MD pattern. In this cross-sectional study, we compared the food choices, evaluated by dietary habit questionnaires, of a sample of 995 adults, including 601 and 394 participants from Southern Italy and the Dominican Republic, respectively. In addition, we focused on their FV consumption, assessed by the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) questionnaire, and on its association with skin carotenoid levels as measured by the Veggie Meter^®. We found that a significantly higher percentage of Italians had five meals/day and breakfast compared to Dominicans (five meals/day: 43 vs. 25, p < 0.05; breakfast: 89 vs. 79, p < 0.05), whereas a lower percentage of participants from Italy consumed snacks between the two meals compared to the Dominican Republic population (47 vs. 70, p < 0.005). Most of the participants from both populations had breakfast at home. However, 59.3% of Italians and 27.5% of Dominicans (p = 0.005) had breakfast between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m., whereas 5.8% and 27.5% (p = 0.001) had breakfast after 9:00 a.m., respectively. Milk/yogurt and eggs were the most consumed foods for breakfast in Italy and the Dominican Republic, respectively. Regarding the main meals, most of the Italians and Dominicans had a first course for lunch and a second course for dinner. Of note, we observed that approximately half of the Italians ate FVs in their main meals and had a higher carotenoid score than the Dominicans. Interestingly, in the multiple linear regression analysis, we found that the carotenoid score was positively associated with sex (β = 0.078; p = 0.009), age (β = 0.008; p = 0.001), vegetable consumption (β = 0.12; p = 0.041) and the perception of a healthy diet (β = 0.12; p = 0.001) in the Dominic Republic population, while the carotenoid score was directly associated with sex (β = 54.97; p < 0.0001) and both vegetable (β = 25.42; p = 0.0008) and fruit (β = 38.61; p < 0.0001) consumption in the Italian sample. Our findings confirm the need to promote nutrition-based interventions to encourage FV intake, particularly in non-Mediterranean countries. Full article

Several meta-analyses have consistently demonstrated that the consumption of an adequate level of fruit and vegetables (F&V), along with other food groups, is associated with a low risk of all-cause mortality, and, as such, represents one of the major modifiable risk factors related to the growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). The aim of the present narrative review was to provide an up-to-date analysis of systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in the past five years, dealing with the effects of F&V consumption on human health, focusing on specific pathologies, such as total mortality, cancer, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), type 2 diabetes, intestinal inflammation, and bone and respiratory illnesses. The results of our evaluation confirmed and consolidated the protective role of F&V consumption against the development of NCDs, especially CVDs. However, the need to corroborate existing evidence and clarify the role of confounding factors by performing additional randomized control trials and adopting more standardized approaches and study designs also emerged. Moreover, evaluating the protective role of fruit and vegetables as separate food categories appeared to be one of the most interesting areas to investigate in the near future. Overall, these outcomes could help in addressing future research to better establish a causal relationship between F&V consumption and human health. Full article