The relationship between the food environment and fruit and vegetable intake of adolescents living in Residential Children's Homes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between food environments and fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption of adolescents (n=246) living in Residential Children's Homes (RCHs) in North and South Carolina, USA. Administrators of 21 RCHs completed the Physical Activity and Dietary Environmental Assessment (PADEA), an instrument assessing FV-related environmental variables of RCHs: (i) policies, (ii) availability, (iii) social environment, (iv) community collaboration and (v) administrative support. Two different approaches using mixed-effects regression models were used to compare FV consumption of adolescents living in RCHs with more conducive food environments compared with adolescents living in RCHs with less conducive environments. Using one approach, PADEA variables were analyzed as categorical data and in the second approach, PADEA variables were analyzed as continuous data. Results indicated greater FV consumption among adolescents residing in RCHs with more conducive food environments compared with less conducive RCHs. Specifically, adolescents living in RCHs with higher levels of administrative support and more FV policies reported greater FV intake compared with adolescents living in RCHs with less support and fewer policies. Food environments are related to adolescents' dietary behaviors and interventions targeting FV consumption should include strategies to increase administrative support and the development of FV-related policies.