New research from UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) says that cost may not be the most important variable in whether households have fruits and vegetables available for consumption. In findings published in the online version of the American Journal of Public Health,UAB researchers determined that most households did have a variety of fruits and vegetables available, with less expensive choices being far more prevalent than expensive items.

ere is a perception that the cost of fruits and vegetables is a barrier to their consumption, particularly in lower-income families,” said Jamy Ard, MD, assistant professor of nutrition sciences at UAB and the study’s lead author. “Our study of homes with school children showed that fruits and vegetables, particularly lower-cost varieties, were widely available.”

Ard says another common assumption - that African American families were less likely to have fruits and vegetables than whites due to higher cost - is also not the case.

“We found that the availability of fruits and vegetables was remarkably consistent in both white and African American households,” Ard said. “African American children had access to the same amount of fruits and vegetables as whites, although the types available varied due to cultural distinctions.”

Ard’s team studied the availability of fruits and vegetables in the homes of 1,355 school-aged children in Birmingham. They found that most households had potatoes, green beans, lettuce, corn and orange juice available. Items such as pears, squash and grapefruit were found in few homes.

“Price is a factor in the availability of fruits and vegetables, but primarily only with the more expensive varieties,” said Ard. “Cultural and family preferences seem to override price concerns when choosing fruits and vegetables.”

Manipulating the price of fruits and vegetables has been suggested as a means for increasing consumption of these foods. Ard says these findings indicate that, for lower-cost items at least, manipulating price may not be necessary or effective.

“Families seem to have cheaper fruit and vegetables at home already,” he said. “Price, in other words, is less a consideration than we previously thought in determining whether a home has fruits and vegetables available.”

Ard says that other factors, such as taste, preference and culture may have a more significant impact on fruit and vegetable consumption. He says public health officials and policy makers should concentrate on consumers' motivations and other barriers to purchasing fruits and vegetables in an effort to increase consumption.

Media Contact:
Bob Shepard
(205) 934-8934
E-mail: bshep@uab.edu