title: Exploration and forecasting of behaviours and factors relating to fruit and vegetable intake among seniors in the community.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study investigated the current status of fruit and vegetable intake among seniors and assessed the relationship between personal background factors, social psychological factors and environmental factors of the study participants and their fruit and vegetable consumption behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research data were collected through individual interviews using a questionnaire developed by the authors. SPSS for Windows 15·0 statistical software was used to process and analyse the data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Elderly individuals sampled from all twenty-nine administration units of Keelung City's Renai District were interviewed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants included 398 residents aged 65 years or older.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, study participants ate five daily servings of fruits and vegetables on 2·86 d/week. The important variables influencing fruit and vegetable consumption were education level, outcome expectancy, social support, self-efficacy, frequency of dining out and role modelling. Educated participants consumed more fruits and vegetables than those without education. Outcome expectancy, social support, self-efficacy and role modelling had positive impacts on fruit and vegetable intake, but frequency of dining out had a negative impact on fruit and vegetable intake. The significant predictors of fruit and vegetable intake behaviour were education level, outcome expectancy, social support and frequency of dining out. Among those variables, social support was the most influential factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings supported the conclusion that health education strategies to increase fruit and vegetable intake among seniors should include the variables of social support and outcome expectancy.
authors: 1School of Nursing,National Yang Ming University & Department of Nursing,Ching Kuo Institute of Management and Health,Keelung,Taiwan.
authors: Pei-Ti
authors: PT
authors: Hsu
authors: 2Nursing,MacKay Medicine Nursing and Management College,Taipei,Taiwan.
authors: Pei-Hung
authors: PH
authors: Liao
authors: 3Orthopedics,Cheng Hsin General Hospital,Taipei,Taiwan.
authors: William
authors: W
authors: Chu
authors: 4Department of Nursing,Ching Kuo Institute of Management and Health,Keelung,Taiwan.
authors: Shiu-Yan
authors: SY
authors: Yang
authors: 5School of Nursing,National Yang Ming University,No. 155,Sec. 2,Linong Street,Taipei 11221,Taiwan (ROC).
authors: I-Ju
authors: IJ
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004522:Educational Status; D058620:Elder Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012147:Restaurants; D012944:Social Support; D013624:Taiwan; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: Outcome expectancy