title: Fruit and vegetable intake of mothers of 11-year-old children in nine European countries: The Pro Children Cross-sectional Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe and compare fruit and vegetable intakes of mothers of 11-year-old children across Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional surveys were carried out in 9 European countries in October/November 2003. Self-administered questionnaires assessing fruit and vegetable consumption were used for data collection. The current paper presents dietary intake data obtained by a precoded 24-hour recall and a food frequency questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The consumption levels of fruit and vegetables (without fruit juice) were in line with World Health Organization recommendations of > or =400 g/day for only 27% of all participating mothers. Based on both instruments, the Pro Children results showed comparatively high average fruit intake levels in Portugal, Denmark and Sweden (211, 203 and 194 g/day) and the lowest intake in Iceland (97 g/day). High vegetable intake levels were found in Portugal and Belgium (169 and 150 g/day), the lowest in Spain (88 g/day). A south-north gradient could not be observed in the Pro Children study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fruit and vegetable intakes are low in mothers of 11-year-olds across Europe. Especially vegetable consumption can be regarded as marginal in most of the studied European countries. A high percentage of mothers indicated to eat fruit and vegetables less than once a day. The results have shown that national and international interventions are necessary to promote fruit and especially vegetable consumption in the European population of mothers.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yngve
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Elmadfa
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poortvliet
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ehrenblad
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pérez-Rodrigo
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thórsdóttir
authors.forename: Jóhanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haraldsdóttir
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brug
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: Maria Daniel
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Vaz de Almeida
authors.forename: Rikke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krølner
authors.forename: Knut-Inge
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Klepp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005060:Europe; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall; D009035:Mothers; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables