Developing Consumer Driven Strategies for Imparting Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

Abstract

Worldwide many intervention programs have been implemented to increase F&V intake in the population diets, with varying degrees of success. This study first assessed the relative contribution of program characteristics to a change in F&V consumption among published literatures to elucidate the components that are the most important to creating a successful intervention. Then consumer survey was conducted to examine consumer F&V consumption habits, perceived food environment, and food skills. Lastly the research was complemented with the use of Geographic Information System to map out the food environment within the City of Toronto. Overall, successful interventions were significantly more likely to be behavioural-based, tailored, targeting psychological factors, employing the use of motivational interviews and personalized messages. Among successful interventions, these characteristics also predicted higher net F&V consumption at the conclusion of the intervention. Analysis of the survey findings revealed that income had an impact on F&V consumption only to individuals with low access to grocery stores. Population with low-access and low-income had to rely on less convenience options to get to grocery stores, and this may account for the low consumption level observed among this population. Lastly, high food skill can facilitate higher F&V consumption and minimize the potential impact of low-income as a consumption barrier.