Baseline fruit and vegetable intake among adults in seven 5 A Day study centers located in diverse geographic areas

Objective To examine baseline rates of fruit and vegetable consumption amon g adults in the 5 A Day research trials in order to identify any regional a nd sociodemographic differences associated with daily servings. Design The main outcome measure was the frequency of fruits and vegetables consumed within 1 month of the baseline survey as assessed by a 7-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Subjects/setting Participants (N=15,060) were from 7 study centers. Study c enters included schools (N=48), worksites (N=60), churches (N=50), or the S pecial Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC ) clinics (N=15) in interventions to increase fruit and vegetable consumpti on. Statistical analyses Means and standard errors, adjusting for clusters, wer e calculated. A mixed linear model analyzed relationships between fruit and vegetable consumption and regional center, gender, age, race, education, i ncome, marital status, food-shopping responsibility, and whether one lives with children. Results Results indicate an overall mean intake of 3.6 daily servings of fr uits and vegetables. Significant differences in mean daily servings were fo und among the regional study centers (low of 3.0 to high of 4.1). There wer e significant differences in mean daily consumption by age (<30 years= 3.7 servings per day; 30 to 49 years=3.4; greater than or equal to 50 years=3.7 ), education (>high school=3.4 servings per day; high school graduate=3.4; some college=3.5; college graduate=3.9), race (black=3.7 servings per day; Hispanic=3.0; white=3.6; other=3.7), marital status (married=3.6 servings p er day; single=3.5), and food-shopping responsibilities (little=3.2 serving s per day; about half=3.6; most=3.8). Only 17% of respondents ate 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Conclusions The 7 regions showed significant variability in daily fruit and vegetable consumption, suggesting that a single national message to increa se fruit and vegetable consumption may not reach the population segments mo st in need of changing. It is advisable to spend more time understanding th e food consumption habits of the population under investigation to develop messages to foster behavior change.