Social-cognitive correlates of fruit and vegetable consumption in minority and non-minority youth

Inadequate fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption signals a need for identifying predictors and correlates of intake, particularly in diverse adolescents.

Participants completed an on-line assessment in early 2010.

Computer classrooms in 4 high schools.

One hundred twenty-two Caucasian and 125 minority (African American and Hispanic) high school students (mean age = 15.3 years, SD = 1.0) with parental consent. Response rate was 89%.

Self-efficacy as measured by confidence in goal setting and decision making about healthful eating; perceived benefits and barriers to eating FVs; healthful eating-related social support; body esteem; and FV intake.

t tests were used to examine group differences, and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the predictors of 5-A-Day FV consumption.

Thirty-four percent of the non-minority group and 28% of the minority group reported eating 5 or more portions of FVs a day (P = .34). Self-efficacy and perceived benefits predicted consumption in minority participants, whereas barriers and social support were significant predictors in the non-minority group.

These findings suggest different variables predict consumption for minority and non-minority groups and that self-efficacy is an important variable to consider in dietary change programs for minority adolescents.