Dietary Behaviors Associated With Fruit and Vegetable Consumption, Marion County, Indiana, 2005 | Preventing Chronic Disease: May 2011: 10_0091

ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Dietary Behaviors Associated With Fruit and Vegetable Consumption, Marion County, Indiana, 2005

Karl W. Staser; Terrell W. Zollinger, DrPH; Robert M. Saywell Jr, PhD, MPH; Srujana Kunapareddy, MPH; P. Joseph Gibson, PhD; Virginia A. Caine, MD

Suggested citation for this article: Staser KW, Zollinger TW, Saywell Jr RM; Kunapareddy S, Gibson PJ Caine VA. Dietary behaviors associated with fruit and vegetable consumption, Marion County, Indiana, 2005. Prev Chronic Dis 2011;8(3).
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2011/may/10_0091.htm. Accessed [date].

PEER REVIEWED

Abstract
Introduction
Eating inadequate amounts of fruits and vegetables is associated with diminished health, and most Americans fall short of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation to eat at least 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables each day. This study assessed behaviors associated with fruit and vegetable consumption in adults.

Methods
A cross-sectional, random-digit–dialed telephone survey of 4,784 adults living in Marion County (Indianapolis), Indiana, measured demographic characteristics, personal health data, food consumption, food label use, and other eating habits. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to assess the association between selected dietary behaviors and fruit and vegetable consumption, controlling for demographic characteristics.

Results
Behaviors associated with adequate versus inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables were frequent snacking on healthy foods (odds ratio [OR], 2.54), eating meals at home (OR, 2.09), using nutrition labels when making purchases (OR, 1.52), and using “heart healthy” symbols and other food information labels when ordering from restaurants (OR, 1.41). Frequent red meat consumption was negatively associated with adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables (OR, 0.64).

Conclusions
Healthful snacking, food label use, and eating meals prepared at home may improve dietary quality. Our measure of adequacy may also be useful in future studies assessing dietary behavior and diet composition.

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Preventing Chronic Disease: May 2011: 10_0091


Author Information
Corresponding Author: Robert M. Saywell Jr, PhD, MPH, Indiana University, Bowen Research Center, 714 North Senate St, Ste 205, Indianapolis, IN 46202. Telephone: 317-278-0352. E-mail: rsaywell@iupui.edu.

Author Affiliations: Karl W. Staser, Terrell W. Zollinger, Srujana Kunapareddy, Department of Family Medicine and the Bowen Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; P. Joseph Gibson, Virginia A. Caine, Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County, Marion County Health Department, Indianapolis, Indiana.