Objective: To examine the contribution to fruit and vegetable eating in children of potential predictive variables within the domains of demographics, parental feeding practices and personality traits. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Questionnaires were distributed to parents through 22 London nursery schools. Subjects: Questionnaires were completed and returned by 564 parents or principal caregivers of 2–6-year-old children. Results: Significant predictors of children’s fruit and vegetable intake emerged from all three domains examined. Demographic variables associated with child’s vegetable consumption were mother’s education and child’s age and gender. Only ethnicity was significantly associated with fruit consumption. Parental consumption, breast-feeding and early introduction to fruit and vegetables were related to intake of both. Family mealtimes were associated with higher intake of vegetables, but not of fruit. Two characteristics of children themselves (food neophobia and enjoyment of food) were strongly related to the consumption of fruit and vegetables. Subsequent multivariate analyses revealed that parental intake and child food neophobia independently predicted intake of both foods. In the presence of these, fruit consumption was affected by breast-feeding and early introduction to fruit, whereas vegetable consumption was related only to child’s gender and enjoyment of food. Conclusions: These findings may be used to inform future interventions aimed at increasing children’s consumption of fruit and vegetables. Parents should be made aware of the possible impact of their own behaviour on the eating habits of their

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Demographic, familial and trait predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption by pre-school children.

Background Physical health of people with schizophrenia is poor and they die early from cardiovascular disease.

Aims To describe the lifestyle of people with schizophrenia through diet, smoking habits, weight and exercise, and to report risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

Method Dietary habits of 102 community-dwelling people with schizophrenia were assessed by the Scottish Health Survey Questionnaire. Also assessed were smoking habits, physical activity, biochemical indices of nutrition and future risk of CHD.

Results Fewer males, compared with the general population, reached acceptable levels for consumption of fruit, vegetables, milk, potatoes and pulses. Fewer females reached the levels for consumption of milk and potatoes. Mean number of fruit and vegetable portions consumed per week was 16 (s.d.=14); 71 (70%) were smokers; 25 (86%) females and 50 (70%) males were over weight or obese; 59 (59%) considered themselves physically active; 46 (53%) had a raised cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein ratio, and 64 (74%) a low α-tocopherol: cholesterol ratio. Mean 10-year risk of CHD in males was 10.5% (s.d.=8) and in females 7% (s.d.=6).

Conclusions The lifestyle of people with schizophrenia must give cause for concern in relation to CHD. Care from concern in relation to secondary care services must address physical as well as mental health.

Diet, smoking and cardiovascular risk in people with schizophrenia

Background Physical health of people with schizophrenia is poor and 
they die early from cardiovascular disease. Aims To describe the lifestyle of people with schizophrenia through 
diet, smoking habits, weight and exercise, and to report risk of coronary 
heart disease (CHD). Method Dietary habits of 102 community-dwelling people with 
schizophrenia were assessed by the Scottish Health Survey Questionnaire. Also 
assessed were smoking habits, physical activity, biochemical indices of 
nutrition and future risk of CHD. Results Fewer males, compared with the general population, reached 
acceptable levels for consumption of fruit, vegetables, milk, potatoes and 
pulses. Fewer females reached the levels for consumption of milk and potatoes. 
Mean number of fruit and vegetable portions consumed per week was 16 
(s.d.=14); 71 (70%) were smokers; 25 (86%) females and 50 (70%) males were 
over weight or obese; 59 (59%) considered themselves physically active; 46 
(53%) had a raised cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein ratio, and 64 (74%) a 
low α-tocopherol: cholesterol ratio. Mean 10-year risk of CHD in males 
was 10.5% (s.d.=8) and in females 7% (s.d.=6). Conclusions The lifestyle of people with schizophrenia must give 
cause for concern in relation to CHD. Care from concern in relation to 
secondary care services must address physical as well as mental health.

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Diet, smoking and cardiovascular risk in people with schizophrenia: Descriptive study

The present review provides an investigation into the food choice decisions made by individuals in relation to fruit and vegetable consumption. A comprehensive body of evidence now exists concerning the protective effect of fruit and vegetables against a number of diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. Current UK recommendations are to increase intakes of fruit and vegetables to 400 g/person per d. In the main body of the review the factors that affect food choice decisions of adults in relation to fruit and vegetable consumption are studied, following a suggested framework of food choice. Factors covered include sensory appeal, familiarity and habit, social interactions, cost, availability, time constraints, personal ideology, media and advertising and health. The content of the review shows just how complex the food choice process can be. Health promotion techniques can be better targeted towards certain groups of individuals, all holding similar sets of values, when making food choice decisions. Food choice, in relation to fruit and vegetable intake, needs to be studied in more depth, in order to provide effective nutrition education programmes, in particular the sets of priorities that different sub-groups of the population consider when making food choice decisions.

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Factors affecting food choice in relation to fruit and vegetable intake: a review

The current ecological approach in health behaviour research recognises that health behaviour needs to be understood in a broad environmental context. This has led to an exponential increase in the number of studies on this topic. It is the aim of this systematic review to summarise the existing empirical evidence pertaining to environmental influences on fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. The environment was defined as 'all factors external to the individual'. Scientific databases and reference lists of selected papers were systematically searched for observational studies among adults (18-60 years old), published in English between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 2004, with environmental factor(s) as independent factor(s), and fruit intake, vegetable intake or FV intake combined as one outcome measure as dependent factor(s). Findings showed there was a great diversity in the environmental factors studied, but that the number of replicated studies for each determinant was limited. Most evidence was found for household income, as people with lower household incomes consistently had a lower FV consumption. Married people had higher intakes than those who were single, whereas having children showed mixed results. Good local availability (e.g. access to one's own vegetable garden, having low food insecurity) seemed to exert a positive influence on intake. Regarding the development of interventions, improved opportunities for sufficient FV consumption among low-income households are likely to lead to improved intakes. For all other environmental factors, more replicated studies are required to examine their influence on FV intake.

https://repub.eur.nl/pub/8914/Kamphuis_et_al_2006_Br_J_Nutr_96_620-635.pdf

Environmental determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption among adults: a systematic review.

Objectives: Using a national representative sample to examine variation in fruit and vegetable consumption among adults in the UK, with particular reference to consumers with high and low reported intakes. Design: National representative dietary survey using 7-d weighed diet records of men and women aged 16–64 y living in private households in the UK in 1986–1987. Setting: The UK. Subjects: 1087 men and 1110 women. The sample was selected by a multi-stage random probability design. The response was 70%. Subjects with low energy intake were subsequently excluded. Main outcome measures: Food group, nutrient intake, physiological measures socio-economic, demographic and behavioural characterstics. Results: Consumption of fruit and vegetables was estimated. The sample was divided by sex into four quarter groups according to fruit and vegetable consumption. There were significant similarities between quarter groups in fruit and vegetable and other food intake, nutrient intake, physiological measures, and socia-economic, demographic and behavioural variable. The lowest consumers of fruit and vegetables had a mean intake of 738 g/week (men) and 630 g/week (women), equivalent to 1.3 and 1.1 portion/d, respectively. Conversely, the mean intake of both men women with the highest consumption was 3137 g/week (5.6 portions day). There were more than twice as many adults in the age group 16–24 located in Q1 than in Q4. The Manual social class and those in receipt of benefits were negatively associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. Smokers were significantly associated with low fruit and vegetable intake. Being married was associated with increased fruit and vegetable intake and being single or divorced/separated was associated with low fruit and vegetable intake. Eating home grown produce was associated with hogh intake. Consumers who lived in London or the South-East were associated with higher fruit and vegetable intake. Conclusions: The analysis draws attention to the wide variation in reported fruit and vegetable consumption among British adults. High consumers merit further investigation to elucidate practical strategies for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. Strategies to increase consumption should be targeted at groups most likely to include low consumers of fruits and vegetables. Sponsorship: London School of Hygience and Tropical Medicine.

R Nichols

Papers

Variation in fruit and vegetable consumption among adults in Britain. An analysis from the dietary and nutritional survey of British adults.