title: Correlates of healthy fruit and vegetable diet in students in low, middle and high income countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of fruits and vegetable consumption and associated factors among university students from 26 low, middle and high income countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using anonymous questionnaires, data were collected in a cross-sectional survey from 17,789 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.8, SD = 2.8) from 27 universities in 26 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 82.8% of the university students consumed less than the recommended five servings of fruits and/or vegetables. The mean fruit and vegetable consumption varied by country, ranging from ≤ 2.5 mean daily servings in Jamaica, Philippines and Barbados to ≥ 3.9 mean daily servings in Mauritius, Tunisia and Ivory Coast. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, sociodemographic factors, psychosocial factors, and behavioural factors (inadequate dietary behaviours, binge drinking and physical inactivity) were associated with low prevalence of fruit and vegetable intake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings stress the need for intervention programmes aiming at increased consumption of fruit and vegetables considering the identified sociodemographic, psychosocial and behavioural risk factors.
authors.affiliation: ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhonpathom, 73170, Thailand, kpeltzer@hsrc.ac.za.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peltzer
authors.forename: Supa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pengpid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa; D000569:Americas; D001208:Asia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019049:Developed Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004032:Diet / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult