Fruit and vegetable intake in a sample of 11-year-old children in 9 European countries: The Pro Children cross-sectional survey
2005
Yngve, A | Wolf, A | Poortvliet, E | Elmadfa, I | Brug, J | Ehrenblad, B | Franchini, Bela | Haraldsdottir, J | Krolner, R | Maes, L | Perez Rodrigo, C | Sjostrm, M | Thorsdottir, I | Klepp, KI | Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação
Background/Aims: An adequate fruit and vegetable intake provides essential nutrients and nutritive compounds and is considered an important part of a healthy lifestyle. No simple instrument has been available for the assessment of fruit and vegetable intake as well as its determinants in school-aged children applicable in different European countries. Within the Pro Children Project, such an instrument has been developed. This paper describes the cross-sectional survey in 11-year-olds in 9 countries. Methods: The cross-sectional survey used nationally, and in 2 countries regionally, representative samples of schools and classes. The questionnaires, including a precoded 24-hour recall component and a food frequency part, were completed in the classroom. Data were treated using common syntax files for portion sizes and for merging of vegetable types into four subgroups. Results: The results show that the fruit and vegetable intake in amounts and choice were highly diverse in the 9 participating countries. Vegetable intake was in general lower than fruit intake, boys consumed less fruit and vegetables than girls did. The highest total intake according to the 24-hour recall was found in Austria and Portugal, the lowest in Spain and Iceland. Conclusion:The fruit and vegetable intake in 11-year-old children was in all countries far from reaching population goals and food-based dietary guidelines on national and international levels.
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