Availability, accessibility, and preferences for fruit, 100% fruit juice, and vegetables influence children's dietary behavior.
The relationships among home fruit (F), 100% fruitjuice (J), and vegetable (V) availability and accessibility separately, as reported by 225 fourth- through sixth-grade children and their parents (n = 88), separately, and FJV preferences to child-reported FJV consumption were assessed. For girls, child-reported FJV availability and accessibility accounted for 35% of the variability in FJV consumption. Child-reported availability and parent-reported accessibility were significantly correlated with child FJV consumption in a combined model. For children with high FJV preferences, FJV availability was the only significant predictor, whereas both availability and accessibility were significantly related to consumption for children with low FJV preferences. Interventions targeting child dietary behaviors may need to tailor to the home environment, separately by gender. Extra efforts are necessary by parents to enhance accessibility among children who do not like FJV.
USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates St., Houston, TX 77030, USA. kcullen@bcm.tmc.edu
Karen Weber
KW
Cullen
Tom
T
Baranowski
Emiel
E
Owens
Tara
T
Marsh
Latroy
L
Rittenberry
Carl
C
de Moor
D001294:Attitude to Health; D001628:Beverages / Q000600:supply & distribution; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D005638:Fruit / Q000600:supply & distribution; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D013781:Texas; D014675:Vegetables / Q000600:supply & distribution