Associations between low consumption of fruits and vegetables and nutritional deficiencies in Brazilian schoolchildren

Author(s)

Augusto, Rosangela Aparecida ^[1] ; Cobayashi, Fernanda ^[1] ; Cardoso, Marly Augusto ^[1] ; Team, ACTION Study ^[2]

Affiliation

^[1] Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Nutr, BR-01246904 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] ACTION Study Team, Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Nutr, BR-01246904 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION; v. 18, n. 5, p. 927-935, APR 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 10

Abstract

Objective: We examined associations between the frequency of fruit and vegetable (F\&V) consumption and nutritional deficiencies among Brazilian schoolchildren. Design: A cross-sectional, population-based study was performed. A short FFQ was used to assess consumption of fruits and vegetables (F\&V) over the past month. The prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals for stunting, obesity, anaemia, vitamin A and folate deficiencies, vitamin E and vitamin D insufficiencies were estimated for low F\&V consumption frequency (vegetables <= 3 times/month and fruits <= 3 times/week) and compared with children with usual F\&V consumption frequency (vegetables >= 1 time/week and fruits >= 4 times/week). Setting: Acrelandia, Western Brazilian Amazon. Subjects: A total of 702 children aged 4-10 years. Results: Only 5% of children consumed F\&V >= 5 times/d. Prevalence of deficiency was 31%, 15%, 9% and 2% for vitamins D, A, E and folate, respectively. Overall, 6.3% of children were anaemic, 3.3% were stunted, 2.7% were obese and 33% had multiple nutritional deficiencies. Low frequency of F\&V consumption was associated with lower plasma concentrations of carotenoids and vitamin E. Nutritional deficiencies were higher among non-consumers of F\&V when compared with usual consumers: anaemia (PR=1.9; 95% CI 1.0, 3.7), vitamin E insufficiency (PR=2.5; 95% CI 1.5, 4.2), vitamin D insufficiency (PR=1.5; 95% CI 1.1, 1.9) and stunting (PR=2.6; 95% CI 1.1, 6.1). Conclusions: In our study, the occurrence of nutritional deficiencies in children with low F\&V consumption was twice as high as in children with usual F\&V consumption, reinforcing the importance of effective actions to promote the consumption of F\&V. (AU)