Usefulness of a brief fruit and vegetable FFQ in a college population

Objective: To determine the validity of an existing National Cancer Institu te 7-item fruit and vegetable food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with colle ge students and to assess fruit and vegetable consumption, knowledge, and a ttitudes in this population. Methods: A survey was completed by 109 student s. In addition to the FFQ, the survey contained questions determining aware ness of the 5 a Day program, knowledge of recommended fruit and vegetable i ntake, and barriers to consumption of fruits and vegetables. Diet records w ere also collected and compared to the FFQ, Results: The FFQ was not shown to be valid; only 20% of students were aware of recommended daily fruit and vegetable intake; and taste, cost, and accessibility were identified as ba rriers to consumption of fruits and vegetables. Mean daily intake of fruits and vegetables based on FFQ was 4.2 servings. Conclusion: A better tool ma y be needed to quickly assess fruit and vegetable consumption by college st udents, and more nutrition education on this topic is recommended.