scholarly journals Home food environment and associations with weight and diet among U.S. adults: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle C. Kegler ◽  
April Hermstad ◽  
Regine Haardörfer

Abstract Background The home provides the physical and social context for the majority of eating behaviors for U.S. adults. This study describes eleven dimensions of the home food environment among a national sample of U.S. adults and identifies which are associated with diet quality and overweight/obesity. Methods A national sample of U.S. adults ages 18 to 75 was recruited from an online survey panel. Respondents (n = 4942) reported on foods available in the home, including 1) fruit and vegetables, 2) salty snacks/sweets, 3) less healthy beverages, as well as 4) food placement, 5) shopping practices for fruits and vegetables, 6) food preparation, 7) portion control methods, 8) family meals from restaurants, 9) family household practices around TV and eating, 10) presence of a TV in the dining area, and 11) ownership of a scale. Self-reported height and weight, fruit and vegetable intake, and percent calories from fat were also assessed. Results Mean household size was 2.6, 32.7% had children in the home, and 23.1% lived alone. The majority were White (67.7%), with 12.3% Black and 14.3% Hispanic. Mean age was 44.4 and 48.3% were men. In multivariable models, seven features of the home food environment were associated with meeting the recommended fruit and vegetable intake guidelines, with food placement, meal preparation, frequency of shopping for fruit, and a greater variety of fruits and vegetables available in the home most strongly associated. Eight of 11 features were associated with percent energy from fat, including restaurant food for family meals, salty snacks and sweets availability, less healthy beverages availability, food placement, meal preparation, frequency of shopping for fruit, family eating with the TV on, and having a TV in the dining area. More diverse fruit and vegetable availability was associated with lower odds of overweight/obesity, and more frequent family eating while watching TV was associated with increased odds of overweight/obesity. Conclusion Targeting these dimensions of the home food environment may be a promising approach for future intervention research.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Groele ◽  
Dominika Głąbska ◽  
Krystyna Gutkowska ◽  
Dominika Guzek

Fruit and vegetable intake is indicated among the features of sustainable diets, while children’s intake is strongly associated with the intake of their parents, as well as the availability of food products and their accessibility at home. The aim of the study was to analyze the mother-related determinants of children at-home fruit and vegetable dietary patterns in a Polish national sample of children aged 3–10 years. The random quota sampling (with quotas for age, education, and place of residence) was conducted to recruit the national representative sample of Polish mothers of children aged 3–10 years (n = 1200) who were interviewed using a Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) method. They were asked about their children’s at-home fruit and vegetable dietary patterns, which were later compared in sub-groups that were stratified for age, educational background, marital status, place of residence, occupational status, and total net income in households. The indicated features, but not marital status, were indicated as determinants of children at-home fruit and vegetable dietary patterns. Children of younger mothers more often than others consumed fruits, whereas those of older mothers consumed vegetables. Children of mothers who had a lower level of education more commonly than others consumed fruits alone as a dish, and they had a higher preference for them, while those of mothers who had a higher level of education had a higher consumption of vegetables than others, although they had a medium preference for them. Children of mothers from villages had a lower consumption of vegetables and fruits than others, although they had a higher preference for fruits. Children of mothers with no professional job had a lower consumption of vegetables than others and more often consumed them processed, although they had a higher preference for fruits and vegetables. Children of mothers with low income had a lower consumption of vegetables than others and more often consumed fruits in a dish with other products, although they had a higher preference for fruits and vegetables. To summarize, an indication of a high preference for fruits and vegetables by mothers is not accompanied by the higher consumption and recommended dietary patterns for fruit and vegetable intake by their children. In particular, the sub-samples of mothers who had a low level of education, were from villages, did not have a professional job, and had low income may either overestimate the fruit and vegetable preference of their children or do not offer them sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables, although they indicate a higher preference. In order to encourage more sustainable diet following, in terms of the fruit and vegetable intake, it is essential to introduce actions toward the properly planned nutritional education for the indicated target groups.


2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 366-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas J. Ollberding ◽  
Claudio R. Nigg ◽  
Karly S. Geller ◽  
Caroline C. Horwath ◽  
Rob W. Motl ◽  
...  

Purpose. To examine if spatial access to healthy and unhealthy outlets comprising the local food environment was associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. Design. Cross-sectional. Setting. Population-based sample residing in Hawaii. Subjects. Three hundred and eighty-four adults (36% Asian-American, 33% non-Hispanic white, 31% other/mixed race). Measures. A spatial model of the local food environment was constructed using radial buffers extending from participants' place of residence. Fruit and vegetable intake was estimated using the National Cancer Institute Fruit and Vegetable All-Day Screener. Analysis. Mean intakes of fruits and vegetables were compared for spatial access to total, healthy, and unhealthy food outlets at distances of .5 to 3.5 km. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate differences in fruit and vegetable intake for residing further from a food outlet or for residing in an area with a greater number of food outlets. Results. Residing in an area with a greater density of total or healthy food outlets was associated with a higher mean intake of fruits and vegetables (p < .05) at .5 km. No differences in mean intakes were detected for distances beyond .5 km or for regression models. Conclusion. Findings suggest that greater spatial accessibility to food outlets comprising the local food environment in Hawaii may not be meaningfully associated with fruit and vegetable consumption; however, associations were detected for the smallest spatial scale examined, warranting further investigation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1312-1321
Author(s):  
Janet Tietyen Mullins ◽  
Jackie Walters ◽  
Jean Najor ◽  
Jakub Mikuška ◽  
Anita Courtney ◽  
...  

Abstract Cooking is a complex behavior associated with more frequent and nutrient-dense family meals. The Cook Together, Eat Together (CTET) social marketing program used formative, process, and outcome evaluations over a 3-year period to design a program to increase fruit and vegetable intake and frequency of family meals. We used a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods design with a nonequivalent comparison group to evaluate fruit and vegetable intake and family meals. Eight focus groups of mothers in low-income families with young children revealed two predominant behavioral mediators: (i) importance of family time and (ii) desire for children to learn to cook and become self-sufficient adults. Program design was grounded in formative evaluation and organized by the four Ps of social marketing: (i) product—learning to prepare healthy meals while teaching children to cook; (ii) price—lowered by reducing barriers of food cost, kitchen clean-up, meal planning, grocery shopping; (iii) placement—in neighborhood gathering places with a “cooking social”; and (iv) promotion—flyers, newsletters, and social media. Outcome indicators were assessed pre/post intervention with questions from instruments validated for the audience. Significant changes (n = 68, p ≥ .002, Bonferroni adjustment for p = .05, Cohen’s d = .50 medium effect size) were found in consumption of fruits and vegetables with an average increase of half cup each per day. CTET participation significantly increased fruits and vegetables served and eaten at family meals. A social marketing approach can help families with young children increase fruit and vegetable consumption.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tessa R. Englund ◽  
Valisa E. Hedrick ◽  
Sofía Rincón-Gallardo Patiño ◽  
Lauren E. Kennedy ◽  
Kathryn W. Hosig ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In 2015, the Partnership for a Healthier America launched the branded Fruits & Veggies (FNV) Campaign to apply a unique industry-inspired marketing approach to promote fruit and vegetable sales and intake to moms and teens in two US pilot markets: Fresno, California and Hampton Roads, Virginia. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to: 1) assess brand awareness and fruit- and vegetable-related outcomes among FNV Campaign target audiences in the California and Virginia market locations; and 2) examine whether reported awareness of the FNV Campaign was associated with differences in fruit- and vegetable-related cognitive and behavioral outcomes. Methods Data for this cross-sectional study were collected using an online survey administered to a non-probability convenience sample (n = 1604; February–July 2017) of youth aged 14–20 years (n = 744) and moms aged 21–36 years (n = 860) in the two pilot markets. Descriptive statistics were computed and outcomes compared between unaware and aware respondents, controlling for sociodemographic covariates. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted to assess whether fruit- and vegetable-related attitude, belief, and encouragement outcomes differed by FNV Campaign awareness; logistic regression was used to examine associations between FNV brand awareness and dichotomous variables (fruit- and vegetable-related behavioral intentions, trying new fruits and vegetables); and ANCOVA was used to assess associations with daily fruit and vegetable intake frequency. Results Approximately 20% (n = 315/1604) of respondents reported awareness of the FNV Campaign. Youth that reported awareness of the FNV Campaign (n = 167, 22.4%) had higher intentions to buy (p = 0.003) and eat (p = 0.009) fruits and vegetables than unaware respondents. Mothers that reported awareness of the FNV Campaign (n = 148, 17.2%) reported greater encouragement for friends and family to eat fruits and vegetables (p = 0.013) and were approximately 1.5 times more likely to report trying a new fruit or vegetable (p = 0.04) than mothers unaware of the Campaign. Daily fruit and vegetable intake frequency did not differ by Campaign awareness. Conclusions FNV Campaign awareness was associated with limited but positive short- and intermediate-term cognitive and behavioral outcomes among target audience respondents. These findings can inform future research to enhance understanding and improve the FNV Campaign as it is expanded to new markets nationwide.


Circulation ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 127 (suppl_12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda M Oude Griep ◽  
Jeremiah Stamler ◽  
Queenie Chan ◽  
Linda van Horn ◽  
Lyn M Steffen ◽  
...  

Background: The color of the edible portion of fruits and vegetables, reflecting the presence of pigmented phytochemicals, may be used as an indicator of their nutrient profile. Previous cohort and intervention studies have documented beneficial associations of fruits and vegetables with blood pressure (BP). However, whether the color of fruits and vegetables is associated with BP is unknown. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the International Study of Macro-/Micronutrients and Blood Pressure (INTERMAP) on 4,680 men and women ages 40-59 years from Japan, China, United Kingdom, and United States. During four visits, eight BP measurements and four 24-hr dietary recalls were completed. Fruits and vegetables were categorized in 4 color groups: green, orange/yellow, red/purple, and white. BP regression coefficients per 2SD higher intake were estimated using multivariable linear regression models. To estimate overall associations, country-specific regression coefficients were pooled, weighted by inverse of their variance. Adjustments were for age, gender, sample, intake of total energy and alcohol, 24-hr urinary sodium excretion, smoking, education, dietary supplement use, adherence to any special diet, history of cardiovascular diseases or diabetes, family history of hypertension, use of medication (antihypertensive, cardiovascular or for diabetes), body mass index, and intake of low-fat dairy, fibre-rich grain products, red and processed meats, fish and shellfish, and mutually for other fruit and vegetable color groups. Results: Average daily fruit plus vegetable intakes (g/1000 kcal) was 183 in the total population, varying from 129 in the United Kingdom to 222 in China. White fruits and vegetables contributed 32% of total fruit and vegetable intake, orange/yellow 27%, green 26%, and red/purple 15%. Fruit and vegetable color groups were weakly related to each other, partial r values ranged from 0.08 for green with red/purple to 0.15 for white with orange/yellow. Fruit and vegetable color groups were highly correlated with dietary and urinary potassium; highest correlation coefficients were for white fruits and vegetables (r=0.46 for dietary and r=0.26 for urinary potassium). Green fruits and vegetables were also highly related to beta-carotene (r=0.40) and dietary fiber (r=0.40), orange fruits and vegetables to vitamin C (r=0.59), and white fruits and vegetables to dietary fibre (r=0.49). Green fruit and vegetable intake higher by 90 g/1000 kcal was associated with a systolic BP difference of -1.19 mm Hg (P<0.05). Green fruits and vegetables comprised mainly green vegetables including: cabbages (52%), lettuces (21%), dark leafy (10%), and a heterogeneous group (17%). Other fruit and vegetable color groups and total fruits plus vegetables were not associated with BP. Conclusion: Higher intake of green fruits and vegetables may contribute to lower systolic BP.


Appetite ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 133 ◽  
pp. 77-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chrisa Arcan ◽  
Sarah Friend ◽  
Colleen Freeh Flattum ◽  
Mary Story ◽  
Jayne A. Fulkerson

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