Physical and social aspects of the home food environment related to the fruits and vegetables consumption in school children: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of the study was to describe fruits and vegetables consumption in scholar children from Cali, Colombia and explore the association between a few fruit and vegetables consumption and physic and social characteristics of the home food environment. Material and Methods: An observational study with an analytic cross-sectional design was conducted. 560 children ages 8 to 12 years old and one of their parents participated. Participants were recruited at four schools from different socioeconomic status. Children answered a self-report questionnaire reporting the frequency of their eating habits in the last week. Parents reported sociodemographic information and were asked about the physic and social characteristics of their home food environment through self-reported questionnaires. These characteristics were associated with two result variables: fruits consumption and vegetables consumption, through logistic regressions. Results: Daily consumption of fruits was moderate and vegetables consumption was low. These eating habits were related to social aspects such as parental feeding practices and parents eating habits, and with physical aspects such as food availability at home and near it, with significant differences concerning socioeconomic status. Conclusions: The study brings evidence of the importance of focusing interventions in the children's home food environment to promote healthy eating and to prevent obesity, in which parents play a central role.