Association between fruit and vegetable consumption in mothers and children in low-income, urban neighborhoods.
To understand factors influencing fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption in children, the authors studied the association between F&V consumption in mothers and children in a sample of 1,106 boys and girls in Grades 4-6 in 24 elementary schools in low-income, multiethnic neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada. Approximately 10% of girls and 19% of boys reported not having eaten any vegetables in the week prior to questionnaire administration; 53% of girls and 63% of boys did not consume whole fruits daily. Each unit increase in F&V consumption in mothers was associated with a 10% to 20% increase in F&V consumption in children. Interventions to improve F&V consumption should aim to improve awareness among parents of the importance of fruits and vegetables and of the impact of their own behavior on their children's F&V consumption.
Sylvestre
Marie-Pierre
MP
Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. marie-pierre.sylvestre@mail.mcgill.ca
O'Loughlin
Jennifer
J
Gray-Donald
Katherine
K
Hanley
James
J
Paradis
Gilles
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044469:Racial Groups; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014675:Vegetables