Fruit and vegetable intake of mothers of 11-year-old children in nine European countries: The Pro Children Cross-sectional Survey.
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.
Wolf
Alexandra
A
Institute for Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Yngve
Agneta
A
Elmadfa
Ibrahim
I
Poortvliet
Eric
E
Ehrenblad
Bettina
B
Pérez-Rodrigo
Carmen
C
Thórsdóttir
Inga
I
Haraldsdóttir
Jóhanna
J
Brug
Johannes
J
Maes
Lea
L
Vaz de Almeida
Maria Daniel
MD
Krølner
Rikke
R
Klepp
Knut-Inge
KI
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