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Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Assessment of Social Transmission of Food Preferences Behaviors
Published on: January 25, 2018
The Association Between Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Fruit and Vegetable Stage of Change in Underserved
Shannon M Robson1, Elizabeth Orsega-Smith1, Katie Greenawalt1
1Department of Behavioral Health and Nutrition, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.
Objective:
To compare differences in fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and FV stage of change in 2 diverse communities engaging with cooperative extension services (Extension).
Methods:
Cross-sectional study of FV behaviors of community members enrolled in a team-based challenge offered by Extension. t test and chi-square analyses examined differences in FV intake and FV stage of change. Linear regression examined the relationship between FV stage of change and FV intake, adjusting for demographics.
Results:
There was a significant (P = .01) difference in staging between the African American and Hispanic communities. Of individuals in the African American community, 60% were in the preparation stage; in the Hispanic community, 55% were in the precontemplation/contemplation stage. The FV stage of change was significantly associated with daily FV intake (β = .53; P < .001).
Conclusions And Implications:
To promote consumption of FVs better, nutrition education programs such as Extension should differentiate based on stages of change among subpopulations.
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