Department of Nutrition and Food Systems, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
Carol L. Connell, PhD, RD
Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
Janice E. Stuff, PhD
Agricultural Research Service/US Department of Agriculture — Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
M. Kathleen Yadrick, PhD, RD
Department of Nutrition and Food Systems, Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
Margaret Bogle, PhD, RD
Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative, Agricultural Research Service/US Department of Agriculture, Southern Plains Area, Little Rock, AR
Abstract
Objective: Identify factors influencing fruit and vegetable consumption among 10- to 13-year-old low-income Black American youth in the lower Mississippi Delta region using Social Cognitive Theory (SCT).
Design: Qualitative study utilizing focus group methodology.
Setting: Enrichment program at a sports summer camp for low-income youth.
Main Outcome Measures: Personal, behavioral, and environmental influences on fruit and vegetable consumption.
Analysis: Content analysis by 3 independent reviewers to identify themes, categorized into domains of SCT.
Results: Major themes included:
Taste
Availability
Extended family influence
Visual proof of health benefits from consumption
Gender-specific behavioral skills.
Conclusions and Implications: Findings aid in creating culturally relevant interventions to increase fruit and vegetable intake, highlighting the effectiveness of role models in promoting health through diet.
Key Words
Fruits and vegetables, low-income adolescents, Social Cognitive Theory, focus groups, Black American adolescents.
Introduction
Current national health recommendations advocate for increased consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Nationally, fewer than 20% of children and adolescents achieve the recommended 5 or more servings per day.
Regional studies indicate even lower consumption rates in low socioeconomic communities and minority ethnic groups.
Understanding the environmental, personal, and behavioral influences on fruit and vegetable consumption is essential for effective intervention planning.
Social Cognitive Theory (SCT)
SCT posits that behavior is influenced by personal factors, environmental factors, and the reciprocal interactions of these factors.
Prior research utilizing SCT has identified predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption in middle-income children.
Limited research focuses on how SCT constructs influence fruit and vegetable choices among low-income Black American adolescents.
Cultural and socioeconomic factors may uniquely impact dietary choices related to fruit and vegetable consumption in this demographic.
Methods
Participants and Recruitment
Involved focus groups as part of a pilot intervention study.
Participants recruited from the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) during summer 2000.
NYSP participants predominantly met federal poverty guidelines (90% of attendees).
The 2-county area median household income ranged from $18,903 to $21,365, with high poverty rates among children.
Focus Group Structure
Developed focus group questions based on SCT constructs found in literature on children's dietary behaviors.
Conducted under Institutional Review Board approval from University of Southern Mississippi.
6 focus groups segmented by gender and age, each containing 5-7 participants of similar age.
Discussions recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed through content analysis.
Question Guide Related to SCT Constructs
Several key questions aimed to address personal, behavioral, and environmental influences on fruit and vegetable consumption. Observations included:
Environmental Constructs: Availability of fruits and vegetables at home and in stores, social support from family and peers.
Personal Constructs: Self-efficacy relating to fruit and vegetable intake, beliefs about health outcomes associated with consumption, locus of control regarding dietary choices.
Behavioral Constructs: Capability to prepare fruits and vegetables.
Qualitative Findings
Participant Demographics
Total of 42 low-income Black American adolescents divided into gender-matched focus groups.
Identified Themes
Personal Constructs
**Barriers to Consumption: **
Taste: Predominantly negative perception of vegetables compared to fruits, with instances of vegetables needing additions (e.g., sugar) for palatability. Common remarks included:
"If they ain't got no sugar, I ain't gonna eat no vegetables."
"I like fruits but vegetables got to have some sugar."
Outcome Expectancies:
Positive factors included preference for sweet tastes of fruits.
Health benefits associated with consumption were acknowledged (e.g., vitamins, energy).
Self-Efficacy
High levels of self-efficacy reported for most participants, though 13-year-old males displayed lower confidence linked to parental influence on food choices.
Notable comments indicated that confidence varied by social context (alone vs. with peers).
Behavioral Capability
Gender differences in participation in food preparation noted,
Girls engaged in more complex food-related tasks versus boys.
Environmental Constructs
Availability: Limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables cited as a barrier, with remarks indicating that parents do not prioritize buying these items:
"Most of the time, we don't have them at home because fruit is not something parents just buy."
Social Support: Majority expressed familial support in boosting fruit and vegetable consumption, while peer influence was perceived negatively.