Association between home availability and vegetable consumption in youth: a review.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically review literature examining the association between vegetable home availability and vegetable intake in youth.


METHODS
Articles were identified through December 2012 using a search of PubMed, PsychINFO and OVID/Medline databases, using the following keywords in varying combinations: home, environment, availability, vegetable, intake, consumption, children. Quantitative studies examining home vegetable availability and vegetable intake in children and adolescents were included. Fifteen studies were included that met inclusion criteria.


METHODS
Studies were conducted in the USA (n 8), Australia (n 1), Greece (n 1), Iceland (n 1), Denmark (n 1), the UK (n 1), the Netherlands (n 1) and a combination of nine European countries (n 1).


METHODS
Various populations of children and adolescents were examined.


RESULTS
Seven of the studies (47 %) found a positive association between vegetable availability and intake, with the others reporting null findings. There were no clear patterns of association by study design, age of subjects included, comprehensiveness of measures, or inclusion of covariates in analyses. Child report of home availability was associated with child vegetable intake (n 6, all found a positive association), while parent report of home availability was only minimally associated (n 9, one found a positive association; P=0.001 from post hoc Fisher's exact test comparing parent v. child report).


CONCLUSIONS
Parent perception of availability may be closer to truth, given the parental role in food shopping and preparation. Therefore, to impact child vegetable intake, absolute availability may not be as important as child perception of vegetables in the home. Child perception of availability may be altered by level of familiarity with vegetables.
1Department of Preventive Medicine,Keck School of Medicine,University of Southern California,2250 Alcazar Street,CSC-200,Los Angeles,CA 90089,USA.
Lauren T
LT
Cook
1Department of Preventive Medicine,Keck School of Medicine,University of Southern California,2250 Alcazar Street,CSC-200,Los Angeles,CA 90089,USA.
Gillian A
GA
O'Reilly
2Los Angeles County Department of Public Health,Los Angeles,CA,USA.
Christine J
CJ
DeRosa
1Department of Preventive Medicine,Keck School of Medicine,University of Southern California,2250 Alcazar Street,CSC-200,Los Angeles,CA 90089,USA.
Louise Ann
LA
Rohrbach
1Department of Preventive Medicine,Keck School of Medicine,University of Southern California,2250 Alcazar Street,CSC-200,Los Angeles,CA 90089,USA.
Donna
D
Spruijt-Metz
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004435:Eating; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006801:Humans; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012931:Social Environment; D014675:Vegetables / Q000600:supply & distribution*
Intake