Understanding fruit and vegetable consumption among Uruguayan adults

Abstract

Although fruits and vegetables are an essential component of a healthy diet from sustainable food systems, their consumption remains below recommended levels worldwide. In this context, the aim of the present work was to explore factors influencing fruit and vegetable consumption among Uruguayan adults. A telephone survey with 505 adults, living in Montevideo and involved in food purchasing for the household, was conducted by a specialized company in May 2024. Participants were asked to indicate the number of days they consumed fruit in a typical week and the number of servings they ate in each of those days. They were also asked to indicate whether they regarded their fruit and vegetable consumption as sufficient or not. Those answering negatively were asked to indicate the reasons underlying their insufficient consumption. Participants also answered a series of socio-demographic questions. Results showed that only 12.4% of the participants consumed at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Gender and socio-economic status were identified as the main socio-demographic predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption. Fruit and vegetable intake was frequently perceived as sufficient, even if it was below national recommendations. A wide range of factors emerged as motives underlying insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables, including lack of habits, cost, dislike, and perceived difficulty for preparing or cooking vegetables. These results stress the need to implement multicomponent strategies to address deficiencies in fruit and vegetable consumption in the country.