Abstract
Global health policies are promoting increased vegetable intake across all socioeconomic levels. However, the association between healthy vegetable intake and perception of the food environment has not been well investigated. Consequently, this study aimed to examine the association between vegetable intake and perceptions of neighborhood food environments. Participants were 3,137 Japanese adults (1,580 men, 1,557 women), aged 30 to 59 years, who completed an Internet-based survey. Self-report data were collected: vegetable intake, perceptions of food environment, household income, and demographic variables. We found that positive perceptions of the food environment (e.g., reasonable prices for foods and good social capital of food) predicted healthy vegetable intake in all household income groups. Therefore, supporters should take note of perceptions of the food environments—the findings suggest that the food environment can be altered via changing perceptions surrounding costs.
Highlights
Japan has one of the highest levels of longevity in the world
To provide support for health promotion efforts aimed at enhancing vegetable intake across income groups, we must explore the interrelationships among these factors
This study aimed to examine the association between vegetable intake and perceptions of neighborhood food environments by household income category among Japanese to provide useful knowledge to supporters of healthy food intake
Summary
Cardiovascular disease risk and obesity are lower than in other countries (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2017) This positive health profile may be due in part to Japan’s unique dietary habits, which are drawing worldwide attention. To help alleviate early disease risk and further reduce health disparities, promoting vegetable intake among low-SES individuals is an important worldwide issue. It is possible that the association between the perceived neighborhood food environment and vegetable intake could differ by household income (Williams, Thornton, Ball, & Crawford, 2012). To provide support for health promotion efforts aimed at enhancing vegetable intake across income groups, we must explore the interrelationships among these factors. In Japan, efforts to improve food environments are currently underway, including the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese, which set habitual target values and dietary guidelines that account for consumer dietary styles. Prior work has been unable to account for the effect of household income (i.e., SES), and little has been investigated about whether residents (i.e., the receivers of the food environment) perceived the food environment
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