M. Story et al., PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS ASSOCIATED WITH INADEQUATE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INTAKE AMONG AMERICAN-INDIAN AND ALASKA-NATIVE ADOLESCENTS, Journal of nutrition education, 30(2), 1998, pp. 100-106
The purpose of the study was to examine fruit and vegetable intake pat
terns among American Indian and Alaska Native adolescents and to asses
s psychosocial factors and health behaviors related to inadequate cons
umption. The study was conducted in nonurban schools from eight Indian
Health Service Areas in the U.S.A total sample of 13,354 7th-through
12th-grade American-Indian and Alaska-Native youths Living on or near
reservations were given, in classroom settings, a revised version of t
he Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey. The health questionnaire assess
ed fruit and vegetable consumption patterns and psychosocial variables
and health-related behaviors. The results indicated that fruit and ve
getable consumption was below the recommended amounts. Less than daily
consumption of vegetables was reported by 30% of adolescents and less
than daily consumption of fruits was reported by 20% of youths, Psych
osocial and health behavior risk associated with inadequate intake inc
luded being overweight, low family connectedness, poor school achievem
ent, poor perceived health status, and tobacco use. Our study shows th
at fruit and vegetable consumption is low among American-Indian and Al
aska-Native youths. More attention needs to be placed on developing cu
lturally appropriate interventions to promote healthy eating patterns
and addressing factors related to inadequate intake.