Determinants of Fruits and Vegetables Consumption Among Persons With Doctor-Diagnosed Chronic Diseases

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the factors associated with fruits and vegetables consumption pattern among persons with doctor-diagnosed chronic diseases. Method: The authors examined cross-sectional, randomdigit-dialed health survey data collected in 2008 in Houston, Texas, a city with a diverse ethnic population. The survey sample, which was designed to represent all households with telephones, was drawn using standard list-assisted random-digit-dialing methodology from telephone exchanges that serve the study area. A total of 1001 households were interviewed, and data obtained were subjected to both bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Findings from this study indicate that fruits and vegetables consumption for persons with single chronic disease was significantly predicted (R-2 = 0.83) by the participants' age, educational level, and insurance status. None of the covariates considered in the study were significant predictors of fruits and vegetables consumption pattern among persons who had multiple chronic diseases. But when the subpopulation with any number of chronic diseases was considered, only gender (P<.05) and marital status (P<.001) were noted as the significant predictors of fruits and vegetables (R-2 = 0.34). Conclusion: More public health efforts are needed to make individuals with chronic diseases aware of the importance of consumption of fruits and vegetables. Clinicians and health care professionals should be encouraged to emphasize the importance of consumption of fruits and vegetables in their routine practice to the patients with chronic disease(s), especially to those who are unmarried and male.