title: Social, attitudinal and behavioural correlates of fruit and vegetable consumption among Cypriot adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the prevalence and correlates of fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption in Cypriot adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Republic of Cyprus.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1966 adolescents with a mean age of 14·7 (SD 2·2) years from nine elementary (n 448), six middle (n 657), five high (n 475) and five technical/vocational schools (n 386) in Cyprus. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing FV consumption using a two-item screening measure and a number of social, attitudinal and behavioural correlates of FV consumption.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 19·3% of adolescents reported consuming five or more portions of FV daily, with elementary and middle school students more likely to meet recommendations (23·8% and 24·4%, respectively) compared with high and technical/vocational school students (14·0% and 12·5%, respectively). Consuming five or more portions of FV was associated with preference for FV (OR = 2·2), family eating patterns (OR = 1·5), friends' FV consumption (OR = 1·2) and school support for FV consumption (OR = 0·8). Consuming at least one portion of fruit daily was significantly associated with preference for FV (OR = 2·0) and family eating patterns (OR = 1·7). Consuming at least one portion of vegetables daily was associated with preference for FV (OR = 4·2) and eating while watching television (OR = 0·8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Targeting individual and family-based components may enhance the effectiveness of intervention programmes to promote FV consumption.
authors: Centre of Educational Research and Evaluation, Ministry of Education and Culture, Nicosia, Republic of Cyprus. conlou@avacom.net
authors: Constantinos A
authors: CA
authors: Loucaides
authors: Russell
authors: R
authors: Jago
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Theophanous
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002648:Child; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003535:Cyprus; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005518:Food Preferences; D005638:Fruit; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013690:Television; D014675:Vegetables