title: Consumption of fruits and vegetables among adolescents: a multi-national comparison of eleven countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
abstract: Regional cross-country profile of fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption is lacking in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). This study examines the prevalence and differences of consuming F&V ≥5 times/d among adolescents in eleven EMR countries, and also describes differences in the proportions of taking F&V ≥5 times/d by sex, age and BMI. The study included 26 328 school adolescents (13-15 years) with complete data on consumption of F&V, age, sex, weight and height taken from the Global School-based Student Health Survey conducted in the EMR between 2005 and 2009. Overall, only 19·4 % of adolescents reported consuming F&V ≥5 times/d. The highest prevalence was reported in Djibouti (40·4 %) and the lowest was reported in Pakistan (10·0 %). Statistically significant differences in prevalence were observed across countries (P<0·05). With the exception of Oman, Libya and Djibouti, significantly more males than females ate F&V ≥5 times/d. Proportion of students consuming F&V ≥5 times/d also varied significantly in all counties based on BMI (P<0·0001), with students within normal BMI having the highest frequency. A negative trend was observed between age and the prevalence of taking F&V ≥5 times/d in most of the eleven EMR countries but Jordan, Djibouti and Morocco. The prevalence of adequate intake of F&V was low in the eleven EMR countries. There is a need for interventions to increase the prevalence of adolescents consuming F&V ≥5 times/d. Interventions should take into consideration psychosocial, environmental and socio-environmental factors influencing F&V intake within countries.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition,College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences,Sultan Qaboos University,PO Box 34,Al Khoud,Muscat 123,Oman.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Al Ani
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition,College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences,Sultan Qaboos University,PO Box 34,Al Khoud,Muscat 123,Oman.
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Al Subhi
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Natural Resource Economics,College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences,Sultan Qaboos University,Oman,PO Box 34,Al Khoud,Muscat 123,Oman.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bose
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D000351:Africa, Eastern; D000352:Africa, Northern; D001211:Asia, Western; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D008877:Middle East; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology; D012574:Schools; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: Adolescents; Cross-country comparison; EMR Eastern Mediterranean Region; Eastern Mediterranean Region; F&V fruits and vegetables; Fruit and vegetable consumption; GSHS Global School-based Student Health Survey; Global School-based Student Health Survey; NCD non-communicable diseases