Positive effect of a targeted intervention to improve access and availability of fruit and vegetables in an area of deprivation.
Increasing fruit and vegetable intake has the potential to prevent chronic disease risk but substantial inequalities in intake exist between advantaged and disadvantaged communities. Access and availability of fruit and vegetables have been shown to be important determinants of intake. The current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Mobile Food Store intervention to improve access to fruit and vegetables by making cost-price produce available to targeted communities. Postcode mapping identified communities with low fruit and vegetable intake and high chronic disease risk. The Mobile Food Store travelled to these communities each week. Evaluation of self-reported fruit and vegetable intake was collected by validated questionnaire for 255 users (62% response rate). Store use resulted in a significant increase in intake (1.2 portions per day, 95%CI 0.83-1.48; p<0.001) which was greater than all but one previous intervention in the UK. The targeted model of improving access to fruit and vegetables was effective in increasing intake; however future controlled trials are required to objectively examine potential effects on fruit and vegetable intake and health outcomes.
Department of Nutrition, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
Amy
A
Jennings
Aedín
A
Cassidy
Tim
T
Winters
Sarah
S
Barnes
Alistair
A
Lipp
Richard
R
Holland
Ailsa
A
Welch
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011204:Poverty Areas; D057566:Self Report; D014675:Vegetables / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D055815:Young Adult