Use of the Spectroscopy-Based Veggie Meter® to Objectively Assess Fruit and Vegetable Intake in Low-Income Adults

Reflection spectroscopy is an emerging approach for noninvasively assessing dermal carotenoids as a biomarker of fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. This study sought to profile and identify determinants of scores from a reflection spectroscopy device (the Veggie Meter (VM)®) among 297 urban, primarily Hispanic low-income adults served by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The repeatability of the scores and bi- and multivariate relationships between VM scores, self-reported FV intake measured by a brief screener, and participant characteristics were examined. The mean VM score was 270 (range 0–695); 3- and 6-month test-retest correlations were positive and strong (r = 0.79 and 0.55, respectively). VM scores were negatively associated with body mass index (BMI; r = −0.22) and were higher among participants of Ecuadorian, Dominican, and Mexican Hispanic origin relative to those of Puerto Rican origin; foreign- vs. US-born participants, breastfeeding vs. non-breastfeeding participants, nonsmokers vs. smokers, and participants who consumed three or more cups of FV/day relative to those who consumed less than three cups of FV/day. Foreign-born nativity, consumption of three or more cups of FV/day, and smaller body size were determinants of increased VM scores. Although replication studies are needed to confirm these findings, investigators working with similar populations are encouraged to use the VM to longitudinally track FV intake and to target determinants of the scores in observational and intervention studies of FV intake as measured by the VM.

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Differences in Fruit and Vegetable Intake by Race/Ethnicity and by Hispanic Origin and Nativity Among Women in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, 2015

Preventing Chronic Disease ◽

10.5888/pcd13.160130 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jennifer Di Noia ◽

Dorothy Monica ◽

Karen Weber Cullen ◽

Rafael Pérez-Escamilla ◽

Heewon Lee Gray ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vegetable Intake ◽

Infants And Children ◽

Fruit And Vegetable Intake ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Supplemental Nutrition ◽

Nutrition Program ◽

Hispanic Origin ◽

Supplemental Nutrition Program ◽

Race Ethnicity

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Examining fruit and vegetable intake in low-income older adults using the Veggie Meter®

Nutrition and Health ◽

10.1177/02601060211022275 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026010602110222

Author(s):

Amanda Kopetsky Fultz ◽

Samantha M. Rex ◽

Audrey Mazelin ◽

Charlotte McGarry ◽

Ben Brewer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Food Security ◽

Low Income ◽

Significant Positive Correlation ◽

Vegetable Intake ◽

Fruit And Vegetable Intake ◽

Diverse Populations ◽

Reflection Spectroscopy ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Cross Sectional

Background: Older adults report low fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. The lack of objective, field-based assessments of FV intake is a limitation when assessing the effectiveness of interventions. Aim: To examine if self-reported FV intake was correlated with Veggie Meter® scores among low-income older adults. The Veggie Meter® is a portable tool that uses pressure-mediated reflection spectroscopy to estimate skin carotenoid measurements. Methods: A cross-sectional assessment of FV intake, food security, and Veggie Meter® score in low-income older adults was conducted. Bivariate analyses quantified the association between FV intake and Veggie Meter® score. Results: Participants ( n = 154) were mostly female (69.3%), non-white (66.2%) and at risk for food insecurity (65.6%). Mean Veggie Meter® score was 172.3 ± 77.2 and had a small significant positive correlation with FV intake (r= 0.192, p = 0.018). Conclusion: The Veggie Meter® may objectively indicate FV intake. Research to validate the Veggie Meter® in older, diverse populations is needed.

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Analysing capabilities and resources used to incorporate fruit and vegetables into the family diet: findings from an Australian case study

Critical Dietetics ◽

10.32920/cd.v2i1.774 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 13

Author(s):

Samantha B Meyer

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Vegetable Intake ◽

Vegetable Consumption ◽

Fruit And Vegetables ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Organizational Skills ◽

Australian Case ◽

Low Income Families ◽

Conducting Research

Research attributes low fruit and vegetable consumption to problems of access, availability and affordability. We conducted, for the first time, a case study with three families designed and analysed using the sustainable Livelihoods Framework. The benefit of such an approach is that we moved away from identified barriers and towards identifying the capabilities and resources low-income families use to incorporate fruit and vegetables into their diets. Mitigating cost and access, we provided families with a box of fresh fruit and vegetables free of charge for up to 10 weeks and observed and recorded how/if the contents were used. Results identify the importance of social networking, organizational skills, knowledge of health benefits, and social structures. This paper demonstrates an effective methodology for understanding the capabilities of, rather than barriers to, low-income families increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Additionally, we provide a ‘how to’ and ‘lessons from the field’ for researchers interested in conducting research of this nature.

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Improving low‐income parents' fruit and vegetable intake and their potential to impact children's nutrition

Health Education ◽

10.1108/09654281111161220 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 111 (5) ◽

pp. 391-411 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Michael Prelip ◽

Chan Le Thai ◽

Jennifer Toller Erausquin ◽

Wendy Slusser

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Vegetable Intake ◽

Fruit And Vegetable Intake ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Children's Nutrition

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Determinants of fruit and vegetable intake in low-income children and adolescents

Nutrition Reviews ◽

10.1111/nure.12126 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 72 (9) ◽

pp. 575-590 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Jennifer Di Noia ◽

Carol Byrd-Bredbenner

Keyword(s):

Children And Adolescents ◽

Low Income ◽

Vegetable Intake ◽

Fruit And Vegetable Intake ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Low Income Children

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WIC Cash Value Voucher Redemption Behavior in Jefferson County, Alabama, and Its Association With Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/0890117117730807 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 325-333 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Chelsea R. Singleton ◽

William Opoku-Agyeman ◽

Ermanno Affuso ◽

Monica L. Baskin ◽

Emily B. Levitan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vegetable Intake ◽

Vegetable Consumption ◽

Farmers Markets ◽

Grocery Stores ◽

Jefferson County ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Supplemental Nutrition Program ◽

Study Participants ◽

Cash Value Voucher

Purpose: To examine cash value voucher (CVV) redemption behavior and its association with fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among women who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Jefferson County, Alabama. Participants: Between October 2014 and January 2015, 300 women (mean age: 27.6 years; 66.8% non-Hispanic black; 45.1% obese) who participated in the Birmingham WIC program were surveyed. Measures: Self-reported information on demographics, produce shopping behaviors, and residential access to fresh produce retailers (eg, supermarkets and farmers markets) was examined. Fruit and vegetable intake was collected via the Block Fruit–Vegetable–Fiber screener. Participants who self-reported redeeming the WIC CVV in each of the 3 prior months were classified as regular redeemers. Analysis: Multivariable-adjusted regression models were used to examine associations between variables of interest and regular WIC CVV redemption. Results: There were 189 (63.0%) study participants classified as regular WIC CVV redeemers. Regular redeemers and other participants (ie, irregular redeemers and nonredeemers) were similar with respect to demographics. Regular redeemers were more likely to use grocery stores to purchase FVs ( P = .003) and consumed significantly more servings of FVs per day (β = .67; standard error = 0.24; P = .007). Conclusion: Regular WIC CVV redemption was associated with some produce shopping behaviors and increased FV consumption and among WIC participants in Jefferson County, Alabama.

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Mother-Related Determinants of Children At-Home Fruit and Vegetable Dietary Patterns in a Polish National Sample

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11123398 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 3398 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Barbara Groele ◽

Dominika Głąbska ◽

Krystyna Gutkowska ◽

Dominika Guzek

Keyword(s):

Marital Status ◽

Low Income ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Vegetable Intake ◽

National Sample ◽

Fruit And Vegetable Intake ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Level Of Education ◽

At Home

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.

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Assessing the Relationship Between Nutrition Knowledge and Skin Carotenoids in University Students

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa059_030 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 1313-1313

Author(s):

Anna Jones ◽

Marcela Radtke ◽

Gwen Chodur ◽

Rachel Scherr

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Vegetable Intake ◽

Objective Assessment ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

Fruit And Vegetable Intake ◽

Reflection Spectroscopy ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Objectives To determine whether nutrition knowledge is associated with skin carotenoids, as measured by reflection spectroscopy, a valid and objective assessment of fruit and vegetable intake. Methods A convenience sample of undergraduate and graduate students were recruited through flyers, classroom announcements, and email distribution lists at a large public university in California. Nutrition knowledge was assessed with a validated questionnaire. Skin carotenoids were measured with reflection spectroscopy (RS) using a device known as the Veggie MeterTM. Participants completed the nutrition knowledge questionnaire and height, weight, and RS data were collected by trained researchers at a single time-point. Data were collected as part of a larger, on-going study. Pearson's correlation and ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between nutrition knowledge and skin carotenoids. Results A total of 40 students participated in the study; 72% were female. Nutrition knowledge scores ranged from 13 to 53 with a mean of 37.95 (out of 58 possible), and the mean RS score was 334.0. Skin carotenoids were found to be significantly correlated with nutrition knowledge (r = 0.332; P = 0.036), with 8.7% of variance in RS score explained by nutrition knowledge. Body mass index (BMI) was found to be negatively associated with RS score at P < 0.05; when BMI was incorporated, the proportion of variance in RS score explained by the regression model was 26.9%. Gender was not found to significantly associated with RS score (P = 0.965). Conclusions These preliminary data suggest that nutrition knowledge may be a significant predictor of dietary fruit and vegetable intake when accounting for BMI in university students. Future studies will incorporate additional variables, such as food security status and diet quality to further elaborate on the relationship between nutrition knowledge and behavior. Funding Sources This project was funded by an internal University of California, Davis grant.

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Evaluation of a PSE School-Based Fruit and Vegetable Intervention (P04-166-19)

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzz051.p04-166-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Caterina Morgera ◽

Kate Balestracci ◽

Joanna Raymond ◽

Sarah Amin ◽

Geoffrey Greene

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Vegetable Intake ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Standard Instruction ◽

Funding Sources ◽

School Based ◽

Home Based ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Wellness Policies ◽

Post Assessment

Abstract Objectives To determine the effect of a policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) intervention, Students Take Charge! (STC) among 4th and 5th grade students from low-income communities on 1) fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, and 2) FV variety, PSE and FV knowledge, and self-efficacy (SE) to ask for FV at school and home. Methods A quasi-experimental design was used involving six schools over two years. Schools were purposely selected; two schools each year either received STC or standard instruction. The study sample includes students (n = 326 intervention; n = 351 comparison) providing pre and post data (baseline and post-assessment at week 18). SNAP-Ed educators provided the 8-lesson STC curriculum across 18 weeks; comparison students received standard instruction. STC is a school-based PSE intervention focusing on empowering students to make FV based changes at school and at home. STC taught students about wellness policies, persuasive messages, and making requests; it cumulated with a vote to add a student submitted FV-based recipe to the school lunch menu. In addition, STC provided information about the importance of FV intake and variety. Students completed the STC survey at both time points assessing FV intake, variety, knowledge and SE. Analyses compared intervention and comparison students from baseline to post-assessment using ANCOVA (1) and MANOVA (2). Results From baseline to post-assessment, there were significant differences (P < 0.01) between intervention and comparison students; intervention students decreased fruit intake and variety, increased PSE knowledge and SE in school.There were no differences in vegetable intake, variety or FV knowledge between intervention and comparison students. There was a trend (P = .09) towards increased student SE to ask parents for FV in the home in the intervention students compared to the comparison students. Conclusions STC was associated with an increase in PSE knowledge and student SE to ask for FV in school. STC may require additional strategies, including home-based strategies, to increase FV knowledge, intake, and variety behavior changes. Funding Sources USDA SNAP-Ed.

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