The meaning of ‘fruits’ and ‘vegetables’

Public Health Nutrition

Frances E Thompson¹  Olivia M Thompson¹  Amy L Yaroch¹  Gordon B Willis¹ 

关键词: Fruit and vegetables;    Dietary assessment;    Nutrition education;    Dietary guidance;    Cognitive research;   

DOI  :  10.1017/S136898001000368X

学科分类：卫生学

来源: Cambridge University Press

【 摘 要 】

ObjectiveFruit and vegetable consumption is a focus of research and nutrition education; yet, there is no universal agreement on the meaning of ‘fruits’ and ‘vegetables’. Our objective was to describe survey respondent perceptions about a set of foods with regard to whether the food is a fruit, vegetable or something else.DesignThree cross-sectional studies.SettingTwo small studies involving cognitive interviewing sessions; and one large self-administered population survey.SubjectsUS adults in two small studies (n 55 and 80) and one large survey (n 3312), all with multiple race/ethnicities.ResultsPerceptions varied. In the survey, rice was considered a vegetable by about 20 % of respondents. In one small study, Spanish speakers were more likely to consider rice a vegetable, and Chinese speakers less likely, than were English speakers. Black beans were frequently classified as something other than vegetable or fruit. Among Hispanics, Spanish speakers were less likely than English speakers to consider beans a vegetable. Overall, tomatoes were classified as both fruit and vegetable, and these perceptions varied by race/ethnicity.ConclusionsSubstantial disagreement among the fruit, vegetable and other food domains highlights the importance of clearly defining the desired constructs. Foods that require specific instruction include rice, dried beans, potatoes, tomatoes and fruits and vegetables in mixtures and condiments. For measurement, additional questions or explanations may be needed to clarify which foods are of interest. For communication, the global message to increase consumption of fruit and vegetables should be reinforced with specific guidance.

【 授权许可】

Unknown