Household and food shopping environments: do they play a role in socioeconomic inequalities in fruit and vegetable consumption? A multilevel study among Dutch adults (original) (raw)

Socioeconomic Differences in Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among Middle-Aged French Adults: Adherence to the 5 A Day Recommendation

Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2008

Background Numerous studies support the protective effect of high fruit and vegetable consumption on chronic disease risk, mainly against cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The increase of fruit and vegetable intake has become a public health priority in many countries. Objective The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships of socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioral factors with both quantity and variety of fruit and vegetable consumption. Design/subjects Fruit and vegetable intake was assessed using repeated 24-hour dietary records collected during a 2-year period from 4,282 French subjects (2,373 men and 1,909 women), aged 45 to 62 years, who participated in a large prospective study. Statistical analysis Both education level and occupation categories were used as socioeconomic indicators. Logistic regression models were applied to assess factors related to meeting the 5 A Day fruit and vegetable recommendation. Covariance analyses were performed to compare the fruit and vegetable variety scores and the contributions of fruit and vegetables to the total daily diet cost across socioeconomic indicators within each sex.

Neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage and fruit and vegetable consumption: a seven countries comparison

The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2015

Low fruit and vegetable consumption is a risk factor for poor health. Studies have shown consumption varies across neighbourhoods, with lower intakes in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. However, findings are inconsistent, suggesting that socio-spatial inequities in diet could be context-specific, highlighting a need for international comparisons across contexts. This study examined variations in fruit and vegetable consumption among adults from neighbourhoods of varying socioeconomic status (SES) across seven countries (Australia, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Scotland, US). Data from seven existing studies, identified through literature searches and knowledge of co-authors, which collected measures of both neighbourhood-level SES and fruit and vegetable consumption were used. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between neighbourhood-level SES and binary fruit and vegetable consumption separately, adjusting for neighbourhood clustering and age, gender and...

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption across Population Segments: Evidence from a National Household Survey

Background The 2002 World Health Report documented that low fruit and vegetable intake are among the top ten risk factors contributing to attributable mortality and up to three million lives could be saved each year by adequate consumption of F&V across the globe, leading an examination of behavioral preferences of the individual and family social, environmental, and behavioral factors that constitute perceived barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption. ObjectiveThe study examines factors affecting the choice of eating fruits and vegetables by household members and calculates eating frequency probabilities of different population-origin associated with personal attributes and behavior. Method Turkish Health Survey (THS) 2019 data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TSI) national representative household panel is applied. Estimating a random-effect bivariate probit model of fruit and vegetable choice, we calculated marginal probabilities of choosing fruits and vegetables, the j...

Socioeconomic Inequality in Fruit and Vegetable Consumptions in Elderly People: A Cross Sectional Study in North West of Iran

Nutrition and Food Sciences Research, 2019

Background and Objectives: High fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption has been shown to protect humans against chronic diseases in elderly people. As several factors can affect FV consumption, the aim of this study was to investigate associations between the socioeconomic status and FV consumption in elderly people. Materials and Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study was carried out on 238 elderly people, aged over 65 years and living in Marand, northwest of Iran. Consumption of FV was assessed using validated 110-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The participants were selected from seven health care centers. Results: The mean age of the participants was 71.7 ±4.1 years with 65.5% were males. The adequate daily consumption of FVs (totally 400g or more) was reported in 58% of the participants. Old ages and low educational levels were associated to low consumption of FVs (P < 0.05). High incomes and marriage statuses were significantly associated to high consumption of fruits (P < 0.001). High consumption of vegetables was seen in people with lower economic status. The logistic regression analysis showed that the chance of FV consumption in participants who owned a house, got married or had a high income was 3.05, 2.02 and 2.39 times greater, respectively. Conclusions: This study has demonstrated important roles of the socioeconomic factors such as household income level, gender and marital and educational statuses on consumption of FVs. Therefore, our results suggest that, the future policies and interventions to improve the consumption of FVs in elderly people should consider socioeconomic inequalities.

Perceived Food Environment Predicts Vegetable Intake According to Income: A Cross-Sectional Study

SAGE Open

Global health policies are promoting increased vegetable intake across all socioeconomic levels. However, the association between healthy vegetable intake and perception of the food environment has not been well investigated. Consequently, this study aimed to examine the association between vegetable intake and perceptions of neighborhood food environments. Participants were 3,137 Japanese adults (1,580 men, 1,557 women), aged 30 to 59 years, who completed an Internet-based survey. Self-report data were collected: vegetable intake, perceptions of food environment, household income, and demographic variables. We found that positive perceptions of the food environment (e.g., reasonable prices for foods and good social capital of food) predicted healthy vegetable intake in all household income groups. Therefore, supporters should take note of perceptions of the food environments—the findings suggest that the food environment can be altered via changing perceptions surrounding costs.

A multilevel study of socio-economic inequalities in food choice behaviour and dietary intake among the Dutch population: the GLOBE study

Public Health Nutrition, 2006

ObjectiveTo examine the influence of individual- and area-level socio-economic characteristics on food choice behaviour and dietary intake.SettingThe city of Eindhoven in the south-east Netherlands.DesignA total of 1339 men and women aged 25–79 years were sampled from 85 areas (mean number of participants per area = 18.4, range 2–49). Information on socio-economic position (SEP) and diet was collected by structured face-to-face interviews (response rate 80.9%). Individual-level SEP was measured by education and household income, and area-level deprivation was measured using a composite index that included residents' education, occupation and employment status. Diet was measured on the basis of (1) a grocery food index that captured compliance with dietary guidelines, (2) breakfast consumption and (3) intakes of fruit, total fat and saturated fat. Multilevel analyses were performed to examine the independent effects of individual- and area-level socio-economic characteristics on ...

Access to Supermarkets and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

American Journal of Public Health, 2014

Objective-Individual-level determinants of diets are well known. Recently, physical proximity to neighborhood supermarkets has been proposed as an environmental determinant of access to healthy foods, diets and health. The present study hypothesized that supermarket choice, conceptualized as the proxy for underlying personal factors, would better predict supermarket accessibility and diet quality than mere physical proximity. Methods-The Seattle Obesity Study geocoded respondents' home addresses and locations of their primary supermarkets. Primary supermarkets were stratified into low-, medium-and highcost according to the market basket cost of 100 foods. Data on fruit and vegetable consumption were obtained through telephone surveys. Linear regressions examined associations between physical proximity to primary supermarkets, supermarket choice, and fruit and vegetable consumption. Descriptive analyses examined whether supermarket choice outweighed physical proximity among lower-income and vulnerable groups. Results-Only one-third of respondents shopped at their nearest supermarket for their primary food supply. Those who shopped at low-cost supermarkets were more likely to travel beyond their nearest supermarket. Fruit and vegetable consumption was not associated with physical distance but, with supermarket choice, after adjusting for covariates.

Availability, affordability, and consumption of fruits and vegetables in 18 countries across income levels: findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study

The Lancet. Global health, 2016

Several international guidelines recommend the consumption of two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables per day, but their intake is thought to be low worldwide. We aimed to determine the extent to which such low intake is related to availability and affordability. We assessed fruit and vegetable consumption using data from country-specific, validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study, which enrolled participants from communities in 18 countries between Jan 1, 2003, and Dec 31, 2013. We documented household income data from participants in these communities; we also recorded the diversity and non-sale prices of fruits and vegetables from grocery stores and market places between Jan 1, 2009, and Dec 31, 2013. We determined the cost of fruits and vegetables relative to income per household member. Linear random effects models, adjusting for the clustering of households within communities, were used to...

Trends of socioeconomic differences in daily vegetable consumption, 1979–2002

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2008

Background: Studies from different time periods have shown that consumption of vegetables is more common in higher socioeconomic groups and among women. However, there are only few studies of changes of socioeconomic differences in vegetable consumption over time. Our aim was to determine whether socioeconomic differences, measured by educational level and household income, in daily vegetable consumption have increased, decreased or been stable over the last two decades among Finnish men and women. Methods: Data on daily consumption of fresh vegetables were derived from repeated annual cross-sectional surveys performed among representative samples of Finnish working aged (15-64 years) population. Data from the years 1979-2002 were linked with data on education and household income from Statistics Finland. Those under 25 years and all students were excluded, giving a total of 69 383 respondents. The main analyses were conducted with logistic regression. Results: Daily consumption of fresh vegetables became overall more prevalent during the study period. Daily consumption of fresh vegetables was more common among those with higher education and higher income during the whole study period. Both educational level and household income differences in daily vegetable consumption slightly narrowed since 1979 among men and women. Conclusions: Women with high socioeconomic position have been initial trend setters, but the prevalence of daily consumers of vegetables in these groups has not increased since the early 1990s. The prevalence of daily consumption of fresh vegetables has increased more in lower educational and income groups during the 1980s and 1990s along with narrowing socioeconomic differences.

The Health Education Authority's health and lifestyle survey 1993: who are the low fruit and vegetable consumers?

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 1999

Study objective-Firstly, to determine the demographic and behavioural characteristics of low fruit and vegetable consumers. Secondly, to investigate whether knowledge and attitudes are barriers to consumption of fruit and vegetables. Design-Cross sectional survey: an interviewer administrated questionnaire was used to assess the demographic, knowledge, attitude, and behavioural characteristics of the respondents.