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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Assessment of Social Transmission of Food Preferences Behaviors
Published on: January 25, 2018
Longitudinal and cross-sectional influences on youth fruit and vegetable consumption
Karly S Geller1, David A Dzewaltowski
1Department of Human Nutrition and Community Health Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA. geller@ksu.edu
Abstract:
Both cross-sectional and longitudinal research depict a decline in the fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) of children and youths with age, but identifying developmental changes and their influences with regard to FVC cannot be fully explained with application of only one of these research designs. Reviewed here are results from longitudinal and cross-sectional research, and a proposal is presented for a lifespan development methodology that uses a sequential design strategy to illuminate the multilevel processes that determine FVC. Conclusions from the review were similar for both cross-sectional and longitudinal research, with fruit and vegetable (FV) preferences and FV accessibility/availability being the most consistent influences on FVC. Furthermore, this review illuminates several methodological issues, offering suggestions to strengthen comparisons between studies. Research designs that incorporate longitudinal, cross-sectional, and time-lag data are warranted.
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