Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables by Low-Income Brazilian Undergraduate Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the consumption of fruits and vegetables (FV) by low-income students participating in the Brazilian Student Assistance Program. Methods: For three days, we measured participants’ consumption through direct observation of food intake at the University Restaurant (UR) and 24-h recall outside the restaurant. The 174 undergraduates were divided into two groups to obtain data on FV intake at the weekend (Sunday) and two days of the week. Group 1 included low-income undergraduates who received their meals for free, and Group 2 included students who paid for their meals at the UR. Results: Both groups presented a very low consumption of FV. On the weekend, Group 1 consumption was equal to Group 2, but it was higher than Group 2 on weekdays, demonstrating how important the UR is for this population. The lowest contribution of the UR to the daily consumption of FV was 59%, reaching a percentage of 87.27%. Fruit supply in the restaurant menu may have positively influenced this consumption. Conclusions: The consumption of FV varied according to the menu offered at the UR. The UR should be a space to promote healthy eating habits including more FV in its menus.

Identifier of Regional Food Presence (IRFP): A New Perspective to Evaluate Sustainable Menus

“…If, for example, a regional vegetable was added to the rice, the instrument would count this addition to the recipe as regional. Beans (side dish, SD2) have great cultural significance for the Brazilian population, and this dish is essential in community menus [22,24,25,35]. The regionalization attributed to its participation in the analyzed menus showed relevance, particularly in the North and Northeast Regions.…”

“…These are the main course (the protein dish offered, usually of animal origin and decisive for the selection of other items), garnish (menu item accompanying the main course, presenting as the primary ingredients vegetables, pasta, tubers, and cassava flour dishes), side dishes (dishes such as rice and beans, culturally consumed daily by the Brazilian population), salad, and dessert (fruit or sweets) [22,23]. Side dishes of rice and beans are considered national preparations as they are consumed nationwide (Figure 1) [20,22,24,25]. There are also other side dishes, and they can be prepared using rice or legumes as the main ingredient, or cassava flour or bread.…”

A brief educational intervention on the consumption of fruits and vegetables and physical activity improves healthy habits in university students

“…Various strategies have been used to promote healthy eating and physical activity habits in university students such as taking advantage of public university restaurants, teaching courses to improve culinary skills, using a food pantry, or even offering a monetary incentive [18][19][20][21]. The effects are still unsatisfactory, and more alternatives are required to improve them [22,23].…”

Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability Indicators Applied to Food Services: A Systematic Review

“…It is important to highlight that multiple factors influence fruit and vegetable ingestion, including economic barriers, inadequate nutrition knowledge and awareness, food preferences and attitudes, and cultural factors. Mainly out of the home, it can be influenced by confidence in the hygiene of served raw products (salad), variety, attractiveness, sensory balance, and appearance [9,22,60]. In this sense, the offer of a healthier menu including more vegetables, as well as consumer information are important to improve sustainable attitudes [9,13,22,26].…”