Home Availability of Different Forms of Fruits and Vegetables and Parent/Child Diet by Income: Findings from 4 Studies.

Abstract

Objective: Assessed the availability of any form, fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits and vegetables (FVs), their associations with parent/child sodium and added sugar intakes across household incomes.

Design: Cross-sectional data analysis.

Setting and participants: 960 parent/child dyads across 4 studies.

Variables measured: A home food inventory was used to assess FV availability in different forms. Parent/child sodium and added sugar intakes were evaluated.

Analysis: Associations between the availability of different FV forms and sodium and added sugar intakes were examined using income-stratified correlation coefficients, based on free/reduced-price lunch eligibility as a proxy for income.

Results: We saw no significant differences by income in the total number of vegetables in any form, fresh FVs, and canned fruits. Households with lower incomes had fewer frozen FVs than households with higher incomes. While homes with lower incomes had significantly more canned vegetables, there was no relationship between canned vegetables and sodium intake for parents or children in these households.

Conclusions and implications: Our results suggest that assumptions about differences and consequences of the food available in homes of families with low incomes need to be evaluated within the community of interest. This approach will more accurately assess community risk and help tailor effective interventions.