Nutritional Awareness about Recommendations and Sources of Fruits and Vegetables in Male Brazilian Adolescents and Association with Physical Activity Patterns, Nutritional Status and Household Characteristics – The Fit Food Study
Authors: MACHADO RACHEL HV , Iglesia Iris , Hartwick Carol Anne , Pires Ana , Fisberg Mauro , Moreno Luis 
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables (FV) contributes both to a healthy diet, preventing obesity, and to the increased nutritional needs during adolescence. Low prevalence of adequate consumption at this age, however, is reported worldwide. FV intake in adolescence is influenced by family behaviors, availability at home, exposure, school environment and awareness, making the diagnosis of knowledge relevant to the improvement of educational strategies.

Objective

To describe the level of adolescents’ awareness about recommendations and sources of FV according to patterns of physical activity, screen time, nutritional status and demographic characteristics.

Methods

Cross‐sectional study with 1.420 males aged 10–12 in five Brazilian states, enrolled in a football tournament, with parental consent. Body Mass Index (BMI, WHO 2007), weekly physical activity and daily screen time in minutes (WHO 2014), awareness of FV recommendations in daily servings (“5 servings/day” according to Brazilian Ministry of Health 2008), food groups (recognition of types of foods) and residents of the household (parents and siblings) were obtained through self‐administered questionnaire, adapted from validated tool (Stralen et al, 2011). ANOVA and chi‐squared test were performed, with a significance level of 5%.

Results

Analysis showed 29% of excessive weight (overweight and obesity combined), profile of less than 2 hours of daily screen time (70%) and insufficient pattern of weekly physical activity (mean 226 minutes). Most (95%) lived with parents and with siblings (73%). Only about 29% of sample were aware of the recommendations of FV and 60% recognized food groups properly. Awareness was not associated with nutritional status (p = 0.95), physical activity patterns (p = 0.21), total screen time (p = 0.46) or housing characteristics (p = 0.33).

Discussion and conclusions

Data found on general awareness of food groups are consistent with national and international studies, suggesting patterns of poor awareness worldwide. There is, however, shortage of work on consumption and awareness specifically regarding FV. The importance of nutritional education is acknowledged for stimulating healthy habits, which renders the results useful for the development of educational activities for this age group in Brazil, associated with new research on adolescent environmental and motivational factors.

Support or Funding Information

The tournament from which children were approached is within Danone Nations Cup, held by Danone worldwide anually for children 10–12 years old. The study was funded by Danone Institute International.

Distribution of FV awareness according to nutritional status variables and physical activity patterns among male adolescents aged 10–12 participating in the tournament, 2014.

Nutritional awareness

FV recommendations
Food sources

Variables
% correct answers
N
P
% correct answer
N
P

Total
28,8
1147
‐‐
60,3
1157
‐‐

BMI (WHO 2007) (28)*

Underweight
26,2
84
0,95
82,1
67
0,43

Healthy
28,9
401

76,8
328

Overweight
29,6
152

83,1
136

Obesity
28,6
42

80
35

Total

679

566

Screen time (hours/day)

< 2h/day
28,9
783
0,46
74,7
625
0,24

> 2h/day
28,4
335

77,1
280

Total

1118

905

Living situation

Adult supervision (n = 1190)

At least one or both parents
28,9
320
0,33
75,6
680
0,12

Relatives or caregivers
24,4
10

64,3
18

Siblings (n = 1167)

Living with one or more siblings
29,8
246
0,052
76,2
515
0,27

Only child or not living with siblings
24,7
74

73,9
176

Physical activity (min/week) – mean (n)**

Correct answers
± sd
Incorrect answers
± sd
P

FV recommendations (n=1111)
225 (n=322)
88
226 (n=789)
88
0,21

Food sources (n=897)
227 (n=676)
88
221(n=221)
91
0,44

Chi‐squared test ‐ Yates

ANOVA test