Abstract
The positive benefits of consumption fruit and vegetable are well documented in studies of health and body weight maintain. A cross sectional study was conducted utilized street based survey among 960 female students at King Faisal University in AL-Hasa, Saudi Arabia, to investigate the daily consumption of fruits and vegetables and the psychosocial factors related to the consumption. Seventy-eight percent of students consuming <5 servings/day of fruit and vegetable with only 22% of them consuming ≥5 servings/day, majority of them are in the normal BMI category. For psychosocial factors the higher consumption group more knowledgeable about the daily consumption of fruit and vegetable, and had more confidence in eating fruit and vegetables under difficult circumstances with significant differences between the groups (P=0.000, P=0.045; respectively). Self efficacy was significantly predictor for recommended daily fruit and vegetable consumption (β=0.303, SE=0.023, P=0.000), but perceived barriers and knowledge not predictor for recommended daily consumption. The results of this study can be useful to design an intervention to promote fruit and vegetable intake among this target group.
Highlights
A diet high in fruit and vegetables is recommended for men and women to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases (Ness & Powles, 1997; Gillman et al, 1995; Steinmetz & Potter, 1996) and maintain a healthy body weight (WHO, 2005)
The present study examined the daily consumption of fruits and vegetables and the psychosocial factors related to the consumption among female university students in AL-Hasa, Saudi Arabia
Majority of the students (78%) of had low consumption from fruit and vegetable and only 22% consumed the recommended daily intake, which is similar to research conducted among female university students in Saudi Arabia
Summary
A diet high in fruit and vegetables is recommended for men and women to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases (Ness & Powles, 1997; Gillman et al, 1995; Steinmetz & Potter, 1996) and maintain a healthy body weight (WHO, 2005). Several studies indicate that consumers in many age groups in Saudi Arabia ingest an adequate amount of fruit and vegetable daily (AL-Qauhiz, 2010; Abdel-Megeid, Abdalharem, & EL- Fetouh, 2011), especially in university students. Due to our knowledge no previous study conducted among female university students in Saudi Arabia examined the relationship between the psychosocial factors and daily consumption of fruit and vegetable. The present study examined the daily consumption of fruits and vegetables and the psychosocial factors related to the consumption among female university students in AL-Hasa, Saudi Arabia
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