Influence of Food Neophobia Level on Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Its Association with Urban Area of Residence and Physical Activity in a Nationwide Case-Control Study of Polish Adolescents

Abstract

Among the factors that may influence fruit and vegetable intake, there is a food neophobia level, but the other elements, including physical activity and place of residence, must also be taken into account as interfering ones. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between food neophobia level and the intake of fruits and vegetables in a nationwide case-control study of Polish adolescents (12–13 years), including the influence of gender, the physical activity program participation and the place of residence. The #goathletics Study was conducted among a group of 1014 adolescents, 507 individuals representative for a nationwide physical activity program “Athletics for All” participants (characterized by an active lifestyle) and 507 pair-matched individuals (characterized by sedentary behavior), while 502 were representative for urban and 512 for suburban area. The assessment of food neophobia level was based on the Food Neophobia Scale questionnaire and the assessment of fruit and vegetable intake was based on the validated food frequency questionnaire. It was observed that higher food neophobia level is associated with a lower fruit and vegetable intake, that was stated both for girls and boys, as well as both for individuals characterized by an active lifestyle and those characterized by sedentary behavior, both from urban and suburban area. Food neophobic individuals characterized by an active lifestyle and those from urban areas were characterized by a higher fruit intake than individuals characterized by sedentary behavior and those from suburban areas, from the same food neophobia category. It was found that food neophobia may reduce fruit and vegetable intake, but the physical activity education with peers may reduce the observed influence and should be applied especially in the case of neophobic individuals from suburban areas.

Food neophobia and its association with food preferences and dietary intake of adults

“…Most of the significant associations were negative, that is, greater FN precludes lower intake. Our findings parallel the results of other studies that associated FN with lower intake of fruits and vegetables 14‐16, 18, 19, 37 . In contrast, a positive association was observed between FN and the consumption of codfish.…”

“…Studies suggest that FN has adverse impacts on food choices affecting the quality and variety of the diet 3, 12 . This trait was previously associated with higher consumption of unhealthy foods, a lower consumption of fruit, vegetables and fish and with poorer overall dietary quality 5‐19 . Increasingly neophobia is negatively associated with pleasantness of food and with a higher dislike of food overall 20, 21 .…”

Mother’s Fruit Preferences and Consumption Support Similar Attitudes and Behaviors in Their Children

“…This need is associated with the fact that at-home exposure of children results not only in higher preferences but also higher intake—both at home and at school lunch [38]. In a Polish nationwide sample, an association between higher fruit and vegetable intake, higher variety of product exposure, lower food neophobia level, more frequent socializing with peers, and more frequent physical activity confirmed that all of these factors aid in the development of proper nutritional habits [39]. Therefore, mothers must be educated about the need for exposure, as nutritional knowledge of parents is indicated to be crucial for influencing the fruit and vegetable consumption of their children [40].…”

The National After-School Athletics Program Participation as a Tool to Reduce the Risk of Obesity in Adolescents after One Year of Intervention: A Nationwide Study

“…The #goathletics Study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Athletics for All program, not only by the assessment of anthropometric measurements, but also by the assessment of physical performance and nutritional behavior [25]. For this study, the study groups were recruited following a two-stage recruitment procedure, in which adolescents aged 12–13 from all the regions of Poland (central, north, north-west, south-west, south, east) were included.…”