[Nutrition in Umbria: adherence to five-a-day.]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutritional Epidemiology
• Population Health

Background:

• Dietary guidelines recommend consuming at least five portions of fruits and vegetables daily (five-a-day).
• Assessing adherence to these recommendations is crucial for understanding population health.
• The Umbrian region's dietary habits require specific investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the adherence of the Umbrian population to the 'five-a-day' fruit and vegetable consumption recommendation.
• To analyze the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and other lifestyle factors in the Umbrian population.

Main Methods:

• Data were sourced from national surveillance systems: OKkio alla SALUTE (children), PASSI (adults 18-69), and PASSI d'Argento (elderly).
• Multivariable analyses were employed for adults (18-69) to examine associations between fruit/vegetable consumption and socio-demographic variables and lifestyle patterns.

Main Results:

• Average daily fruit and vegetable intake was below five portions across all age groups in Umbria, lower than the national average.
• Higher consumption of five-a-day was observed with increasing age, higher education levels, and among women.
• In adults (18-69), meeting the five-a-day recommendation was significantly associated with absence of economic difficulties, normal weight, physical activity, non-smoking, and moderate alcohol consumption.

Conclusions:

• Fruit and vegetable consumption in the Umbrian region significantly falls short of recommended daily intake guidelines.
• The 'five-a-day' intake serves as a potential indicator for overall healthy lifestyle patterns within the population.