scholarly journals The Food Environments of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in East and Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
Jason Tsz Him Cheung ◽  
Johnson Lok ◽  
Stuart Gietel-Basten ◽  
Keumseok Koh

Fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption benefits the health of populations. This can be especially the case in locations which have undergone significant changes in their food environments, such as East and Southeast Asian countries. This current systematic review is the first to study the food environments—facilitators, barriers, and moderators—associated with FV consumption in East and Southeast Asia. We consulted five electronic academic databases of English peer-reviewed papers published between 2010 and 2020 and found 31 studies. Results of these studies show that individuals strongly perceive FVs as being high-quality and safe, and having trust in their benefits. Food businesses with modernized systems have significantly fostered the consumption of FVs. A main barrier to FV consumption, however, is financial concerns, exacerbated by food businesses with FV unavailability and urbanization-induced FV price inflation and dietary patterns. Demographics and shopping patterns further hinder FV consumption. The fragmented and conditionalized findings of the 31 studies require standardized FV consumption measurements. Unlike the impact of FV consumption determinants and their interactions in Western countries, those in Asia, particularly countries other than China, have been substantially understudied. Therefore, as the research gaps in studies of food environments and FV consumption in East and Southeast Asia urgently demand scholarly attention, this paper proposes recommendations that favour the consumption of FVs.

Author(s):  
Jason Tsz Him Cheung ◽  
Johnson Lok ◽  
Stuart Gietel-Basten ◽  
Keumseok Koh

Fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption benefits the health of populations, particularly those in East and Southeast Asian countries, which have undergone an unprecedented change in their food environments in the last decade. This current systematic review is the first to study determinants—facilitators, barriers, and moderators—associated with FV consumption in East and Southeast Asia. In a search of the literature, we consulted five electronic academic databases of English peer-reviewed papers published between 2010 and 2020 and found 31 studies. Results of these studies show that individuals strongly perceive FVs as being higher quality and safe and trust in their benefits, and food businesses with modernized systems have significantly fostered the consumption of FVs. A main barrier to FV consumption, however, is financial concerns, exacerbated by food businesses with FV unavailability and urbanization-induced FV price inflation and dietary patterns. Further hindering FV consumption are demographics and shopping patterns. The fragmented and conditionalized findings of the 31 studies require standardized FV consumption measurements. Unlike the impact of FV consumption determinants and their interactions in Western countries, those in Asia, particularly countries other than China, have been substantially understudied. Therefore, as the research gaps in studies of food environments and FV consumption in East and Southeast Asia urgently demand scholarly attention, this paper proposes recommendations that favour the consumption of FVs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Pflugh Prescott ◽  
Rebecca Cleary ◽  
Alessandro Bonanno ◽  
Marco Costanigro ◽  
Becca B R Jablonski ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Farm to school programs (F2SPs) operate in 42% of school districts and are supported in part through federal and state policies as well as philanthropic funding. Although research evaluating the effects of farm to school–related activities on student outcomes is growing, a systematic review of the results and thus a synthesis of implications for future programming have not occurred. The primary objective of this systematic literature review is to summarize and evaluate studies on student outcomes associated with farm to school–related activities up to 1 September, 2017. Four databases spanning 4 research disciplines were used to identify full-text, English-language studies. Twenty-one studies were reviewed: 7 explicitly investigated F2SPs, and 14 evaluated the impact of school-based interventions that were relevant to activities reported in the 2013 and/or 2015 Farm to School Census. All of the F2SP studies (n = 7) and 85.7% of farm to school–related activity studies (n = 12) were multicomponent, and there was a wide variety of implemented intervention components across the reviewed studies. Results from F2SP and farm to school–related activity studies consistently show positive impacts on food and nutrition-related knowledge; most studies also suggest a positive relation between farm to school–related activities and healthy food selection during school meals, nutrition self-efficacy, and willingness to try fruits and vegetables. The impact of farm to school activities on fruit and vegetable consumption and preferences is unclear. The most common F2SP study limitations were study designs that preclude causal inference, outcome measurement with no reported or limited psychometric testing, lack of long-term outcome evaluation, and challenges related to quantifying intervention implementation. These findings underscore the need for more conclusive evidence on the relation between farm to school–related activities and changes in fruit and vegetable consumption.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 837-846 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelseanna Hollis-Hansen ◽  
Leah Vermont ◽  
Michelle L Zafron ◽  
Jennifer Seidman ◽  
Lucia Leone

Introducing mobile produce markets and farmers’ markets increased fruit and vegetable consumption in lower-income communities, while opening larger retailers (e.g. grocery stores) did not improve fruit and vegetable intake.


2018 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela CB Trude ◽  
Pamela J Surkan ◽  
Elizabeth Anderson Steeves ◽  
Keshia Pollack Porter ◽  
Joel Gittelsohn

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the secondary impact of a multilevel, child-focused, obesity intervention on food-related behaviours (acquisition, preparation, fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption) on youths’ primary caregivers.DesignB’More Healthy Communities for Kids (BHCK) group-randomized controlled trial promoted access to healthy foods and food-related behaviours through wholesaler and small store strategies, peer mentor-led nutrition education aimed at youths, and social media and text messaging targeting their adult caregivers. Measures included caregivers’ (n516) self-reported household food acquisition frequency for FV, snacks and grocery items over 30 d, and usual FV consumption in a sub-sample of 226 caregivers via the NCI FV Screener. Hierarchical models assessed average treatment effects (ATE). Treatment-on-the-treated-effect (TTE) analyses evaluated correlation between behavioural change and exposure to BHCK. Exposure scores at post-assessment were based on self-reported viewing of BHCK materials and participating in activities.SettingThirty Baltimore City low-income neighbourhoods, USA.ParticipantsAdult caregivers of youths aged 9–15 years.ResultsOf caregivers, 90·89 % were female; mean age 39·31 (sd9·31) years. Baseline mean (sd) intake (servings/d) was 1·30 (1·69) fruits and 1·35 (1·05) vegetables. In ATE, no significant intervention effect was found on caregivers’ food-related behaviours. In TTE, each point increase in BHCK exposure score (range: 0–6·9) increased caregivers’ daily fruit consumption by 0·2 servings (0·24 (se0·11); 95 % CI 0·04, 0·47). Caregivers reporting greater social media exposure tripled their daily fruit intake (3·16 (se0·92); 95 % CI 1·33, 4·99) and increased their frequency of unhealthy food purchasingv. baseline.ConclusionsChild-focused community-based nutrition interventions may also benefit family members’ fruit intake. Child-focused interventions should involve adult caregivers and intervention effects on family members should be assessed. Future multilevel studies should consider using social media to improve reach and engage caregiver participants.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-11
Author(s):  
Brijesh Sathian ◽  
Mohammad Asim ◽  
Ahammed Mekkodathil ◽  
Edwin R. Van Teijlingen ◽  
Supram Hosuru Subramanya ◽  
...  

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, caused by the pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, is exponentially spreading across the globe. As there is paucity of published literature, the influence of COVID-19 on community health remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a systematic review of the literature on the impact of COVID-19 on community health. The current systematic review was performed utilizing electronic databases, i.e., PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE. We searched for the keywords "COVID-19" AND "community health" between January 1, 2020, until May 10, 2020. Although, limited evidence is available regarding quarantine to prevent COVID‐19, most studies considered quarantine as an essential public health measure to minimize rate of infection and mortality. Under these circumstances, people should focus on maintaining personal hygiene, proper nutrition, and extreme social distancing to reduce the risk of COVID-19. Besides, that there is a need to provide professional psychological support to reduce mental ill-health. We have highlighted two different public health approaches in South Asian countries, namely Nepal and India.


Medicina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Łuszczki ◽  
Sobek ◽  
Bartosiewicz ◽  
Baran ◽  
Weres ◽  
...  

Background and Objectives: Eating habits acquired or changed during childhood are likely to track into adulthood. Due to the fact that nutritional behaviours are not so strongly formed among children, it is easier to change and develop them in children than in adults. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of selected sociodemographic factors affecting fruit and vegetable consumption (i.e., age, parents’ body mass index, parents’ level education, duration of breastfeeding, child’s time spent in front of computer/television) among children in school canteens. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 106 participants (52 girls, 54 boys) aged 6–12. The frequency of consuming fruits and vegetables at a school canteen was assessed using bar code cards for two weeks. Body composition estimates were obtained using a foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance analysis, body height was measured using a stadiometer Seca 213. The questionnaire contained questions about selected factors which can have an influence on fruit and vegetable consumption. In the study group, 13.2% of participants were overweight and 17.9% were obese. Results: Our results showed a statistically significant relationship between age and fruit and vegetable consumption, and it increased with age in both sexes. Conclusions: Bearing in mind the various conditions discussed when shaping the eating habits of pre-school- and early-school-aged children, the importance of proper nutritional education should be stressed both among children and parents.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 2500-2508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamer Gur ◽  
Saime Erol ◽  
Hasibe Kadioglu ◽  
Ayse Ergun ◽  
Rukiye Boluktas

AbstractObjective:The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of a Transtheoretical Model-based programme titled ‘Fruit & Vegetable-Friendly’ on the fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption of adolescents.Design:A quasi-experimental study. The ‘Fruit & Vegetable-Friendly’, a multicomponent intervention based on the Transtheoretical Model, was completed in eight weeks. The data were collected one week before the intervention, one week after the completion of the intervention and six months after the post-test with an F&V intake questionnaire and the stages of change, processes of change (α = 0·91), situational self-efficacy (α = 0·91) and decisional balance (α = 0·90 for pros, α = 0·87 for cons) scales. Data were analysed with the Friedman, Wilcoxon and marginal homogeneity tests.Setting:A public secondary school in Istanbul, Turkey.Participants:Seven hundred and two adolescents.Results:The mean (sd) F&V intake of adolescents in the passive stages rose from the daily average at the time of the pre-test of 3·40 (1·79) portions to 5·45 (2·54) portions on the post-test and to 5·75 (2·70) portions on the follow-up test (P < 0·01). While the students in the passive stages represented 41·6 % of the participants prior to the programme, this rate fell to 23·7 % at the post-test and to 22·7 % at the follow-up. Students in the active stages first represented 58·5 % of the participants; this rate rose to 76·4 % at the post-test and to 77·2 % at the follow-up test.Conclusions:The programme was effective in increasing the amount of F&V the adolescents consumed on a daily basis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1791-1800
Author(s):  
Ranil Jayawardena ◽  
Dhanushya T. Jeyakumar ◽  
Manoja Gamage ◽  
Piumika Sooriyaarachchi ◽  
Andrew P. Hills

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