Associations between self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption and home availability of fruit and vegetables among Greek primary-school children

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether the self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption of Greek primary-school children is associated with the home availability of fruit and vegetables. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Five primary schools in the city of Pyrgos in south-west Greece. Subjects: One hundred and sixty-seven students in fifth and sixth grades. Methods: Fruit and vegetable consumption was assessed using an FFQ. Home availability of fruit and vegetables was assessed using a modified version of a US home availability questionnaire. Participant BMI was assessed and parental education obtained by self-report. Hierarchical regression models that took account of the clustering of participants in schools were used to examine the relationship between consumption and availability after controlling for parental education and BMI. Results: Regression analyses showed that home availability of fruit was a significant predictor of consumption (b 5 0?524, Z 5 9?77, P , 0?001) in a model that explained 46 % of the overall variance. Home availability of vegetables was a significant predictor of vegetable intake (b 5 0?378, Z 5 6?23, P , 0?001) in a model that explained 29 % of the overall variance.

Association between home availability and vegetable consumption in youth: a review

“…Of the fifteen included articles, one reported on children in Australia (21) , six reported on European children (15)(16)(17)(22)(23)(24) and eight reported on US youth (19,20,(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30) . Sample sizes ranged from ninety subjects (26) to 13 305 (15) .…”

“…Sample sizes ranged from ninety subjects (26) to 13 305 (15) . Studies were conducted with children of various age groups, with one study targeting pre-schoolers (24) , six targeting children (15)(16)(17)22,23,25) and eight targeting adolescents (19)(20)(21)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30) .…”

“…Twelve studies included were cross-sectional (15)(16)(17)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30) and three were longitudinal (19)(20)(21) . A wide variety of measures was used in these studies, and Table 1 summarizes the comprehensiveness rating (high v. low) assigned to dietary and availability measures for each study.…”

“…Dietary measures with low comprehensiveness included four studies with between one and three questions about vegetable intake (15,17,23,24) . All others had dietary measures with higher comprehensiveness, including 24 h recalls (17,26) , food records (29) , a six-item screener (28) and FFQ with six to twenty-four vegetable items (19)(20)(21)(22)25,27,30) . Nine studies had home availability measures composed of either one or two items, and were thus classified as having low comprehensiveness (15)(16)(17)(19)(20)(21)23,24,30) .…”

“…Of the fifteen studies, seven (47 %) found a positive association between perceived home availability and vegetable consumption (15,(20)(21)(22)25,27,30) . One article reported on pre-school children, and no association was found between availability and intake (24) .…”