Patterns Of Fruit Consumption Research Articles

PENGARUH EDUKASI GIZI SEIMBANG TERHADAP PENGETAHUAN, SIKAP DAN POLA KONSUMSI SAYUR DAN BUAH ANAK PADA MASA COVID-19

School-age children is a period of transition from children to adults. There are mental, physical, and emotional growth that develop quite fast at this time. School children are one of the most vulnerable populations in terms of nutrition. Increasing knowledge and attitudes about balanced nutritional needs and consumption patterns vegetables and fruit minimize the occurrrence of nutritional problems in children. Aim of this research is to analyzing the effect of providing balanced nutrition education on knowledge, attitudes and consumption patterns of vegetables and fruit in elementary school children. This study used a pre-experimental design method. The form of experimental design used by OneGroup is pretest-posttest design. Sampling using total sampling technique sample. The researcher first gave questions as pre-test data and then given interventions in the form of education using video media, lectures and intervention leaflets for 3 meetings then carried out the post-test again. The population is grade 4 SD Advent Bandar Lampung students. The statistical test used is the parametric test (Dependent paired T-test). The result of the analysis showed that there was a significant relationship between the level of knowledge before and after the intervention was given with a sig value of 0.00 (p<.0.5). There is a significant relationship between attitudes before and after the intervention is given with a sig value of 0.00 (p<0.05). And there was no significant relationship between attitudes before and after the intervention was given with a sig value of 0.112 (p<0.005). There is a relationship between the effect of balanced nutrition education on knowledge and attitudes as well as vegetable consumption patterns and no significant changes in fruit consumption patterns. The result of this study recommends that parents, especially mothers should support their children by providing food according to balanced nutrition and teachers consistently provide balanced nutrition education to students.

Nutritional knowledge and consumption pattern of fruits: a context of Sri Lankan mothers

The per capita fruit consumption of Sri Lankans is reported as 100 g per day which lies below the recommendations. Moreover, mothers play a key role in the nutritional status of a family. Thus, the current study was focused on assessing the nutritional knowledge of Sri Lankan mothers in the context of family fruit consumption patterns. The primary data collection tool of this study was the questionnaire survey. The survey was conducted with a representative sample of Sri Lankan mothers (n=140) using self-structured questionnaires. Quantitative and qualitative statistical tools were employed to analyze the collected data of the study. As per the results, majority of the mothers in the sample size were known to have a moderate level of knowledge on fruit consumption (50.7%). Lack of a proper channel to access information was perceived as the major limitation for the poor awareness of the nutritional aspects. Further, the study investigated that the knowledge level of the mothers was significantly associated with the frequency of consuming fruits (p=15.87). The income level is positively correlated with the nutritional knowledge level (0.378) while the occupation has a negative relationship (3.037). The study concludes that the nutritional knowledge of Sri Lankan mothers is higher, and the fruit consumption frequency of their families depends on mothers' nutritional knowledge.

Cultivation of underutilized fruit trees by indigenous people in Urug Village, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract. Anggraeni A, Yuniati R, Silalahi M, Lestari R, Jumari. 2023. Cultivation of underutilized fruit trees by indigenous people in Urug Village, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 454-466. Underutilized Fruit Trees (UFTs) are a group of fruit trees with high potential but underutilized. Some fruit has been identified in Urug Village, but this village was hit by a natural disaster, i.e., a flood and landslide in early 2020 that damaged the location where UFTs grew, threatening the existence of UFTs genetic resources. Therefore, a systematic and integrated effort is needed to maintain UFTs biodiversity. This study aims to discover how to cultivate UFTs by the indigenous peoples in Urug Village, document the location where UFTs grow, and analyze index vegetation using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Using the combined method of Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with 16 indigenous people, in-depth interviews with 19 indigenous people, and field observations, this study shows that there are 53 individuals of UFTs from 13 species found in several areas in Urug Village. Indigenous people have a unique way of cultivating UFT, starting from tree selection, preparation of planting sites, tree planting, and fruit tree care. However, more than 60% of UFT was found in the moderate vegetation index. The challenges of UFTs cultivation in Urug Village are changes in fruit consumption patterns, degradation of local knowledge, lack of information about the nutritional and vitamin content of UFTs, land use change, climate change, and the low involvement of both central and regional governments in cultivating UFTs. Thus, changes in consumer and government perceptions, and increased research on UFT are needed to address the challenges of cultivating UFT.

Factors Related to Vegetable and Fruit Consumption Patterns in Students of SMP Negeri 6 South Tangerang City

Abstrak
 Latar Belakang: Pola konsumsi remaja cenderung tidak mempedulikan nilai gizi dari makanan yang dikonsumsinya sehingga menyebabkan perilaku tidak sehat. Berdasarkan Global School Health Survey (2015), mengatakan bahwa salah satu masalah yang berkaitan dengan kebiasaan makan remaja adalah kurangnya konsumsi buah dan sayuran (93,6%). Buah dan sayur merupakan sumber makanan yang mengandung vitamin dan mineral yang berguna untuk membantu menjaga fungsi fisiologis tubuh.
 Tujuan: Tujuan dalam Penelitian ini untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor yang berhubungan dengan pola konsumsi sayur dan buah pada siswa-siswi SMP Negeri 6 Kota Tangerang Selatan.
 Metode Penelitian: Penelitian ini merupakan jenis penelitian analitik kuantitatif dengan desain cross sectional. Pengambilan sampel menggunakan metode purposive sampling dengan jumlah sampel sebanyak 102 orang. Pengumpulan data menggunakan kuesioner dan FFQ.
 Hasil: Berdasarkan hasil penelitian didapatkan sebesar 54,9% siswa memiliki pola konsumsi sayur dan buah kurang. Hasil uji bivariat menggunakan Chi-Square menunjukkan bahwa preferensi/kesukaan (p-value = 0,001), pengaruh orang tua (p-value = 0,028), dan ketersediaan buah dan sayur di rumah (p-value = 0,032) ada hubungan yang signifikan dengan pola konsumsi sayur dan buah. Sedangkan jenis kelamin, pengetahuan gizi, pengaruh teman sebaya, dan konsumsi fast food tidak ada hubungan yang signifikan dengan pola konsumsi sayur dan buah.
 Kesimpulan: Faktor-faktor yang berhubungan dengan pola konsumsi sayur dan buah adalah preferensi/kesukaan, pengaruh orang tua, dan ketersediaan buah dan sayur dirumah. Oleh karena itu, orang tua harus menyediakan sayur dan buah yang disukai anak dengan selalu menanyakan kepada anak mengenai sayuran dan buah-buahan yang disukainya.
 Kata kunci: Pola Konsumsi, Sayur dan Buah, Remaja.

TINGKAT PENGETAHUAN GIZI TERHADAP POLA KONSUMSI SAYUR DAN BUAH DI MASA PANDEMI COVID-19 PADA SISWA MENENGAH ATAS Level of nutritional knowledge on vegetable and fruit consumption patterns during the covid-19 pandemic in high school students

ABSTRACT One of the anticipatory measures to prevent COVID-19 is to diligently consume vitamins and minerals in accordance with the recommended balanced nutrition guidelines where the sources of these vitamins and minerals are in vegetables and fruit. Based on the Riskesdas data 2018, it shows that nationally the behavior of the population aged >10 years who consumes less vegetables and fruit is at 95.5%. This study aims to determine the relationship between the level of nutritional knowledge on fruit and vegetable consumption patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic in high school students. This research is an observational research using a cross sectional study design. The sample was selected using a simple random sampling technique. The sample is students who are classified as teenagers aged 15-18 years from class X and XI at SMAN 10 Gowa who were selected based on simple random sampling with a sample of 89 people. The results showed that the socio-economic family based on the last education of the parents had the last education in the high category, then based on the work the parents had a non-formal job category, while based on the income of the parents had an income below the minimum wage <Rp 3,250,000. The level of nutritional knowledge and consumption patterns of vegetables and fruit in SMAN 10 Gowa students are mostly in the good category. The conclusion shows that there is no significant relationship between nutritional knowledge and consumption patterns of vegetables and fruit during the covid-19 pandemic in SMA Negeri 10 Gowa students.Keywords : Comsumption Pattern, Covid-19, Nutrition Knowledge, Teenager, Vegetable and Fruit ABSTRAK Salah satu tindakan antisipasi terhadap pencegahan COVID-19 ini adalah dengan rajin mengonsumsi vitamin dan mineral sesuai dengan anjuran pedoman gizi seimbang dimana sumber vitamin dan mineral ini ada di sayur dan buah. Berdasarkan data Riskesdas 2018, menunjukkan bahwa secara nasional perilaku penduduk umur >10 tahun yang kurang mengonsumsi sayur dan buah berada di angka 95,5 %. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan tingkat pengetahuan gizi terhadap pola konsumsi buah dan sayur di masa pandemi covid-19 pada siswa menengah atas. Penelitian ini adalah jenis penelitian observasional menggunakan desain penelitian cross sectional study. Sampel dipilih dengan menggunakan teknik simple random sampling. Sampel ialah siswa yang tergolong remaja berusia 15 – 18 tahun dari kelas X dan XI di SMAN 10 Gowa yang terpilih berdasarkan simple random sampling dengan jumlah sampel 89 orang. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa sosial ekonomi keluarga berdasarkan pendidikan terakhir ayah dan ibu memiliki pendidikan terakhir dengan kategori tinggi, kemudian berdasarkan pekerjaan ayah dan ibu memiliki pekerjaan kategori non-formal, sedangkan berdasarkan pendapatan ayah dan ibu memiliki pendapatan dibawah UMR < Rp 3.250.000. Tingkat pengetahun gizi serta pola konsumsi sayur dan buah pada siswa SMAN 10 Gowa sebagian besar dengan kategori baik. Kesimpulan menunjukkan bahwa tidak ada hubungan yang signifikan antara pengetahuan gizi dengan pola konsumsi sayur dan buah di masa pandemi covid-19 pada siswa SMA Negeri 10 Gowa. Kata kunci : Covid-19, Pengetahuan Gizi, Pola Konsumsi, Remaja, Sayur dan Buah

Fruit Consumption Patterns in The Community of Denpasar City

In general, fruit consumption in Bali Province shows a low level when compared to public consumption of other goods. Likewise with the City of Denpasar which is one of the areas with a fairly dense population so that the community's fruit consumption patterns are quite diverse. This study aims to determine and describe the pattern of fruit consumption in the community. The location of this research is Denpasar City. The sampling technique used is purposive and the sample used is housewives as many as 32 respondents. The data analysis technique used is descriptive analysis with data collection using observations, interviews, literature studies, and documentation. The research instrument used was a questionnaire. The results showed that the majority of people in Denpasar City (62.5%) consumed fruit as much as 150 grams/day in the sufficient category, and most (43.8%) people bought fruit/day for Rp 15.000,00/day. . There is a tendency that the greater the amount of income the respondent has, the more often the respondent buys fruit. The purpose of the people in Denpasar City to consume fruit is that most people (68.8%) use fruit for ordinary consumption/eaten and 31.3% for ceremonial facilities. The people's preference in Denpasar City in consuming fruit is that most people (81.3%) consume local fruit and 18.8% consume imported fruit.

Estimation of Adult Equivalent Scale for Consumption Expenditure of Food and Non-food Items with Special Reference to Fruits and Vegetables in Rural and Urban Households of Junagadh District of Gujarat

Consumption is an integral part of our life. Consumer patterns change for both micro and macro reasons. The per capita availability of vegetable was 415.76 gms/day and fruits was 228.79 gms/day in 2019-20 in India which was far below the quantity recommended by WHO. Therefore, it is important to understand changing consumption pattern of fruits and vegetables as well as food and non-food items in rural and urban areas.
 The present study is based on primary data and hence the household data pertaining to the research study from Junagadh district were collected with the help of interview method. The reference period for the study was year 2019-20 i.e. winter (November-2019 to February-2020), summer (March to June-2020) and monsoon (July to October-2020). The data were analyzed using tabular analysis, regression analysis without intercept for calculating adult equivalent scale (AES)
 The estimates of adult equivalent scales for main commodity group for different seasons for rural households revealed that the females in age group of 20-40 years accounted for the maximum expenditure share in total fruits and vegetables (TFV), total food (TF), total non-food (TNF) and total expenditure (TOT) commodities groups in all the seasons.
 In urban households, the adolescent (13-20 years) accounted for the largest proportionate share of expenditure in in TFV commodities groups in all the seasons. For TF and TNF commodity groups, 20-40 years male age groups accounted for the highest share in expenditure in winter and summer seasons while adolescent age group (13-20 years) which accounted for the highest expenditure share in summer season. In TOT commodity group, adolescent of 13-20 years accounted for the highest proportionate share of expenditure in winter and summer seasons whereas it was females in age group of (20-40 years in monsoon season.
 In overall households, the females in age group of 20-40 years accounted for the maximum expenditure share in TFV commodities groups in winter and summer seasons whereas, it was maximum in monsoon season for the males in age group of 20-40 years. For other commodity groups i.e.TF, TNF and TOT in all seasons, the female in 20-40 years age group accounted for the largest proportionate share of expenditure in different seasons.

Pergeseran Pola Konsumsi Buah Nasional di Awal Masa Pandemi Covid-19 (The Shifting of National Fruit Consumption Pattern at the Beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic Period)

<p>Studi pola konsumsi buah nasional sebelum dan di awal masa pandemi Covid-19 perlu dilakukan sebagai langkah awal inventarisasi ada atau tidaknya pergeseran, agar strategi dan antisipasi pembenahan dapat dirancang sejalan dengan upaya mewujudkan ketahanan dan keberlanjutan pangan. Empat ratus enam puluh enam responden terlibat dalam studi ini, melalui survei yang dilaksanakan secara daring. Metode analisis deskriptif, uji tanda, dan Fishers exact test digunakan. Hasil studi mengindikasikan adanya pergeseran pola konsumsi sebelum dan pada awal masa pandemi covid-19 untuk lima atribut, yaitu (1) dana alokasi pengeluaran buah per bulan, (2) frekuensi pembelian, (3) tempat, (4) kesulitan dalam perolehan, dan (5) jenis buah nasional yang dikonsumsi. Pergeseran ini menjadi isyarat perlunya upaya peningkatan kesadaran konsumsi buah nasional untuk menjaga imunitas dan krusialnya sinergi antara produsen dan distributor akan rantai pasok yang efisien dan efektif, serta penggunaan platform digital. Pembenahan diharapkan membuat konsumen dapat menikmati buah nasional berkualitas dari rumah dengan harga yang terjangkau. Segmentasi demografis berdasarkan kelompok umur dapat menjadi pertimbangan penyedia, karena memiliki hubungan yang signifikan dengan atribut pola konsumsi kedua sampai kelima. Studi lebih lanjut diperlukan untuk memotret dampak pergeseran terhadap supply dan value chain.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong></p><p>Daring; Imunitas; Preferensi konsumen; Rantai pasok; Sinergi</p><p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>Studies of national fruit consumption patterns before and at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic period need to be carried out as an initial step for improvement to achieve food sustainability. A total of 466 respondents were involved in the survey which was conducted online. Descriptive analysis, sign test, and Fishers exact test were used. The results indicated there was a shift in consumption patterns before and at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic period, in terms of (1) expenditure allocation for fruit per month, (2) frequency, (3) place of purchase, (4) difficulties in procurement, and (5) types of national fruit consumed. The shift is a sign of the need for efforts to increase awareness of national fruit consumption. The synergy between producers and distributors to form an efficient and effective supply chain, and the use of digital platforms, is crucial, so that consumers can enjoy high quality national fruit from home at affordable prices. Demografic segmentation based on age group can be considered by providers, because it has a significant relationship with the second to fifth consumption pattern attributes. Further studies are needed to capture the shift impact on the supply and value chain.</p>

In a Neotropical Periurban Park, Fruit Consumption by Birds Seems to Be a Random Process

Frugivory interactions between birds and fruit-bearing plants are shaped by the abundance of its interacting species, their temporal overlap, the matching of their morphologies, as well as fruit and seed characteristics. Our study evaluates the role of seven factors of fruits and plants in determining the frequency of whole-fruit consumption by birds. We studied the frugivory network of a Neotropical periurban park in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, and quantified relative abundance and phenology of birds and fruit, as well as fruit morphology, chromatic and achromatic contrast, and nutritional content. Using a maximum likelihood approach, we compared the observed interaction network with 62 single- and multiple-variable probabilistic models. Our network is composed of 11 plants and 17 birds involved in 81 frugivory interactions. This network is nested, modular, and relatively specialized. However, the frequency of pairwise interactions is not explained by the variables examined in our probabilistic models and found the null model has the best performance. This indicates that no single predictor or combination of them is better at explaining the observed frequency of pairwise interactions than the null model. The subsequent four top-ranking models, with ΔAIC values < 100, are single-variable ones: carbohydrate content, lipid content, chromatic contrast, and morphology. Two- and three-variable models show the poorest fit to observed data. The lack of a deterministic pattern does not support any of our predictions nor neutral- or niche-based processes shaping the observed pattern of fruit consumption in our interaction network. It may also mean that fruit consumption by birds in this periurban park is a random process. Although our study failed to find a pattern, our work exemplifies how investigations done in urban settings, poor in species and interactions, can help us understand the role of disturbance in the organization of frugivory networks and the processes governing their structure.

Efforts to Prevent COVID-19 by Applying Physical Distancing, Handwashing Behavior and Vegetable Fruit Consumption Patterns in Indonesia

The phenomenon of the outbreak Covid-19 pandemic in a number of countries, including Indonesia. This condition not only affects the condition of a country, hinders social interaction among community, and also has been impact on the health condition of every human being. To avoid the wider spread of Covid-19, the Indonesian government adopted a policy of social distancing and physical distancing in the form of staying at home, working from home, studying, and worshiping at home.The research’s design used Analytical Observational with Cross Sectional Study design. The independent variables of this study are the application of physical distancing, the application of hands washing behavior and consumption pattern of fruits and vegetables. The amount of sampling in this study were 109 respondents spread across Bogor Regency, West Java using accidental sampling’s and analyzed using chi-square. The results of the study illustrate that efforts to prevent Covid-19 by implementing physical distancing, hands washing behavior and vegetables fruits consumption patterns can reduces the risk of being exposed to Covid-19 in Indonesia. The Indonesian people must apply the Covid-19 prevention appeal that has been set by the government to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in Indonesia.

Analysis of characteristics, frequency of eating fruit and vegetables in patients and non diabetes

Background: Fruits and vegetables are foods that are recommended for consumption by people to prevent diabetes mellitus because they are low in sugar and have fibre that can bind sugar. The consumption pattern of fruits and vegetables consumed by DM patients and non-DM sufferers is an important thing to know . Objective: to determine the characteristics and frequency of eating fruits and vegetables in diabetics and non-diabetics. Method: The study used a cross-sectional design which was conducted in Belawan I Village, Deli Serdang Regency from August to December 2019. The number of samples in this study was 90 people who were selected by purposive sampling. This research is a research by conducting direct interviews with the community but using the Riskesdas 2018 questionnair. Result: This study indicates that DM sufferers tend to consume 2-3 servings of vegetables per day, but many DM sufferers still do not consume fruit every day. People who do not have diabetes tend to consume 2-3 servings of vegetables per day and consume 2-3 servings of fruit per day. People who do not eat fruit are at 8,094 times the risk of suffering from diabetes mellitus compared to respondents who eat fruit (2-3 servings/day). Fruit consumption is an important factor in reducing the risk of diabetes mellitus.

Human biomonitoring of bisphenol A along pregnancy: An exposure reconstruction of the EXHES-Spain cohort

This study was aimed at reconstructing the exposure to bisphenol (BPA) of 60 pregnant women from the EXHES-Spain cohort. A biomonitoring study was conducted by determining BPA levels in urine samples over the three trimesters of pregnancy. Moreover, the correlations between BPA levels and the role of different potential exposure sources, with special emphasis on the dietary intake, were also studied. Urine samples were subjected to dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and the subsequent analysis via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. BPA was detected in 76% of the urine samples. A significant decrease of urinary BPA levels was observed along pregnancy, as mean concentrations of creatinine-adjusted BPA were 4.64, 4.84 and 2.51 μg/g in the first, second and third trimester, respectively. This decrease was essentially associated with changes in the dietary habits of the pregnant women, including a lower intake of canned food and drinks. However, the potential role of other pregnancy-related biochemical or physiological factors should not be disregarded. Very interestingly, significant differences in urine BPA levels were found according to the fruit consumption pattern, as women who ate more citrus fruits showed lower BPA concentrations in urine. The reconstructed exposure to BPA was estimated in 0.072, 0.069 and 0.038 μg BPA/kg of body weight/day in the first, second and third trimesters, respectively. These values are far below the temporary tolerable daily intake (t-TDI) established by the EFSA.

Consumption Pattern of Fruits and Vegetables among solar market garden women’s groups of Kalalé district of Northern Benin

BACKGROUNDAnemia, iron deficiency (ID) and vitamin A deficiency (VAD) continue to be significant public health issues in northern Benin despite the installation of solar market gardens (SMGs), suggesting an urgent need of implementing nutrition programs to benefit the full impact of SMGs. One way to enhance the benefit is to know which fruits and vegetables (F&V) are currently consumed to determine their suitability to promote as a crop.OBJECTIVETo assess the consumption pattern of F&V in the Kalalé district of Northern Benin in order to identify which F&V could be promoted for improving anemia and micronutrients status.METHODSA cross‐sectional survey was conducted among 250 mothers/caregivers aged 19 years and above. Questionnaires were used to assess socio‐demographic characteristics and types of staples foods consumed including the types of F&V consumed and their frequency of consumption. Descriptive analyses were tabulated using STATA version 14.RESULTSSeveral F&V are eaten in the district, but their frequency of daily consumption is low. However, mangoes are abundant during the two fruiting seasons and could be easily accessed by the participating women. Likewise, Moringa oleifera leaves are available all year round and could be incorporated into selected recipes.CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONSMangoes and Moringa oleifera leaves are potential sources of β‐carotene to be promoted on a sustainable basis among SMG women’s groups of Kalalé district of Northern Benin. Additionally, nutrition educational messages should include behavior change campaigns that will make the women see the need for consuming F&V on a daily basis.Support or Funding InformationUniversity of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health Dean’s Annual Fund University of Arizona Graduate & Professional Student Council Travel Grant

Characteristics of fruits consumed by mammalian frugivores in Japanese temperate forest

AbstractUnderstanding the interactions among fruits and frugivore assemblages provides fundamental information for the management of ecosystems. Asian temperate forests are inhabited by distinct frugivores, namely, large tree‐climbing mammals such as bears and macaques, suggesting that fruits and frugivore assemblages may vary from those of other temperate forests. Our aim here was to systematically analyze the characteristics of fruits consumed by four dominant frugivorous mammals in Japanese temperate forests and to clarify the fruit palatability or preference of each species by comparing the fruit consumption patterns of the frugivores. We collected fruit feeding records of Asian black bear, Japanese marten, raccoon dog and Japanese macaque, as well as detailed information on the characteristics of the fruits consumed. Among the 299 fruit species recorded, the size, color and type of fruits consumed by bears and macaques were similar, and the fruiting season and life form of plants bearing fruits consumed by bears, macaques and raccoon dogs were similar. However, the characteristics of fruits consumed by martens were different. The ability to climb trees, body weight and manual dexterity may influence these differences.

Cluster analysis for fruit consumption patterns: an international study

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the fruit consumer segmentations and compare the consumption patterns across North America, Europe and East Asia. This study aims to identify the key drivers for fruit consumption across segments and regions, in terms of socioeconomics and shopping behavior. Design/methodology/approach An international survey to collect information on fruit consumption, demographics and lifestyle factors was developed. Respondents from eight countries across North America, Europe and East Asia were recruited from online panels. A total usable sample of 7,793 respondents was collected. Findings Respondents can be clustered in three segments: low-frequency consumer, common fruit consumer and high-frequency consumer. These consumer segments are heterogeneous in socioeconomics and shopping behavior across regions. Overall, the high-frequency consumer cluster had more individuals who were older, married, not single/never married, self-reported healthy and physically active. The low-frequency consumer group had a larger number of individuals who were younger, living alone, single/never married, self-reported unhealthy and not active. Moreover, the high-frequency fruit consumers tended to focus on many fruit attributes, such as freshness, nutritional value, origin and in the season, but not focus on the price. Originality/value This study uses a unique data set covering eight countries and provides a comprehensive comparison of international fruit consumption patterns and identifying the important factors driving fruit purchase decisions.

Consumption of Fruit and Vegetable with Risk of Obesity in School-Age Children

Introduction: The problem of obesity in children aged 5-12 years in Indonesia is still high, East Java is one of the provinces that have a higher prevalence of obesity than the national average (Riskesdas 2013). Consumption of fruit and vegetables affects the level of obesity’s risk, but nowadays fruit and vegetable consumption in school-age children are low. This study was aimed to determine the correlation between consumption patterns of fruits and vegetables with the risk of obesity in school-age children in Ketabang I Surabaya elementary school.Methods: This research uses the descriptive correlation method with cross sectional approach. The population of this research is students in grade 4 and 5. Purposive sampling technique used to select 69 respondents as samples. The independent variable in this study is the consumption pattern of fruit and vegetable, while the dependent variable is the risk of obesity. The data were analyzed with chi-square test.Results: The results of this research showed that most of the respondents consume less fruit and vegetable (52%). The number of respondents who are obese is 20%, while the number of respondents who have high risk is 13%. Statistical analysis showed that the consumption pattern of fruits and vegetables has a correlation with the risk of obesity (p = 0.009).Discussion: There was a significant relationship between the consumption patterns of fruit and vegetables with risk of obesity in school-age children in Ketabang I Surabaya elementary school. Further studies should examine the appropriate interventions to overcome the problem of obesity in school-age children.

Can We Grow Organic or Conventional Vegetables Sustainably Without Cover Crops?

Vegetable and fruit consumption patterns in the United States indicate that most people need to eat far more fruits and vegetables to meet the current nutritional guidelines for a healthy diet. Following these guidelines would require more than doubling the harvested acreage for fruits and vegetables and could have serious environmental implications if unsustainable production practices were used. This situation will likely intensify with population growth and climate change. To answer the title question (can we grow organic or conventional vegetables sustainably without cover crops?), this paper focuses on the high-input, tillage-intensive vegetable production practices in the Salinas Valley of California, a region often called “the Salad Bowl of America.” This region has a serious problem of nitrate contamination of the groundwater that occurred as the agricultural systems here shifted from agronomic to high-value horticultural crops [primarily vegetables and strawberries (Fragaria ×ananassa)] over the past several decades. This raises questions about the sustainability of past and current vegetable production practices and indicates the need for a radical paradigm shift in nutrient management. Cover cropping is well recognized as a “best management practice” in vegetable production systems, but is still relatively uncommon in many of the most important vegetable production regions in the United States, including the Salinas Valley. It is argued that cover crops are an essential part of sustainable vegetable production because they provide a complex suite of unique ecosystem services during fallow periods that complement best management practices during cash crop periods. The reasons that cover crops are uncommon here are discussed and three alternative cover cropping strategies are described to potentially increase adoption of cover cropping in vegetable rotations. These strategies are focused on reducing residue management challenges and include a novel strategy to extract the juice from nitrogen-rich, immature cover crops for use as a liquid organic fertilizer in subsequent cash crops.

Knowledge and consumption of fruits and vegetables among secondary school students of Obele Community Junior High School, Surulere, Lagos State, Nigeria

Background: The incidence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is increasing in developing countries, largely due to lifestyle and dietary changes. Adolescents are a nutritionally vulnerable age group; however, poor eating habits are often observed in adolescents. It has been observed that individuals who develop healthy eating habits early on in life are more likely to maintain them into adulthood and have a reduced risk of developing NCDs. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and consumption pattern of fruits and vegetables among junior secondary school students. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 220 respondents selected using a multistage sampling technique. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data, which was analyzed using Epi Info Version 7 statistical software. Results obtained were presented with the use of frequency tables. Results: Results from this study revealed that 84.99% of the respondents displayed good knowledge of the nutritional and health values of fruits and vegetables; however, the consumption of fruits and vegetables was appropriate in only 5.48% of the respondents, having five portions of fruits and vegetables daily. Parental intake, encouragement, and supervision as well as availability and accessibility to fruits and vegetables at home were motivators for appropriate consumption. Conclusion: This study has revealed that the students of Obele Community Junior High School, Surulere, have good knowledge of the nutritional and health values of fruits and vegetables. However, the students have inappropriate daily consumption, as their consumption falls below the World Health Organization recommended five portions daily. Efforts should be made by the students themselves, the family, the School, all and sundry in the community to effect change soonest, so that these adolescents maintain healthy eating habits into adulthood, and hence prevent the occurrence of nutrition-related NCDs later on in life.

Behavioral traits of the arboreal marsupialDromiciops gliroidesduringTristerix corymbosusfruiting season

The importance of a frugivore’s behavior and movement on seed dispersal patterns, although widely recognized, is sometimes difficult to obtain. This is particularly true for small and nocturnal animals that inhabit structurally complex environments, such as Dromiciops gliroides. We studied different behavioral traits of this species in its natural environment during the fruiting season of the mistletoe Tristerix corymbosus. Using videos recorded by camera traps, we obtained data regarding activity levels, time allocation, feeding patterns, and movement velocities of this frugivore. Our results showed that this small marsupial seemed to avoid moonlight, and to balance the costs generated by feeding during brightest nights (i.e., when more conspicuous to predators) feeds at higher rates than during less-illuminated nights. Feeding pattern analyses showed that D. gliroides can consume between 1 and 10 fruits per plant, but generally consumes 3 fruits. We also observed that the mean time needed for D. gliroides to extract and manipulate a fruit was 6 s. Time allocation analyses showed that, on average, individuals stayed on T. corymbosus and its hosts for 55 s, and allocate most of that time on feeding and moving within the mistletoe. Video analyses were demonstrated to be a useful sampling technique, which, in addition to allowing us to obtain information about activity patterns, also permitted us to assess fruit consumption patterns, visit lengths, and time allocation when visiting mistletoe. Moreover, video allowed us to understand the variability of movement velocities under different behavioral states. The information we provide here could be included into models to simulate seed dispersal in a more realistic and accurate way that incorporates not only spatial distribution of resources, but also detailed behavioral information of frugivores.

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Pattern and Health Challenges of Elderly (≥60 Years) Staff in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Enugu Campuses: A Case Study

The study was designed to assess fruit and vegetable consumption pattern in relationship with common health challenges of the elderly (>60 years) staff of University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Enugu Campuses. One hundred and seventy (170) subjects were randomly selected for the cross-sectional study. Validated Questionnaires were used for data collection. The data was analyzed using means, frequencies, ANOVA and chi-square test. The results of the study showed that majority (72.9%) of the aged studied were between the ages of 60-70 years. Monthly incomes revealed that 69.41% were in higher than the poverty red line. Fruit consumption pattern showed that 58.95% consumed it 4 times/weekly. Vegetables, fruits and combined vegetable and fruits consumptions were statistically different: according to age associated diseases (p<0.04, p<0.005 and p<0.00, respectively); also according to educational levels (p<0.03, p<0.002 and p<0002, respectively); as well as with income (p<0.00, p<0.01 and p<0.02, respectively). About 15% had health challenges. The prevalence of hypertension (44.7%), diabetes (31.8%), liver problem (21.2%) and kidney problem (25.9%) was high when compared to othe r health problems (Arthritis, Alzheimer's disease obesity, cancer, osteoporosis and cataracts). In conclusion there was poor consumption of vegetables and fruits among the University elderly compared to World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation. Hypertension and diabetes were more prevalence than other conditions, but majority did not have physical disability and were health conscious by engaging in physical activities.