Citation:
Jago R, Baranowski T, Baranowski JC. Fruit and vegetable availability: a micro environmental mediating variable? Public Health Nutr. 2007 Jul;10(7):681-9. Epub 2007 Feb 20.
PubMed ID: 17381953
Study Design:
Systematic Review
Class:
M -
Click here for explanation of classification scheme.
Research Design and Implementation Rating:
NEUTRAL: See Research Design and Implementation Criteria Checklist below.
Research Purpose:
- To illustrate associations between food availability and consumption
- To highlight how increasing availability has been used to increase consumption
- To propose the mechanisms by which availability is associated with consumption and
- To highlight the areas in which further research is required.
Inclusion Criteria:
Computerized search of PubMed and PsycINFO conducted in December 2005 using keywords: availability, accessibility, fruit and vegetables. Additional search was conducted manually and through review of authors' personal records.
Exclusion Criteria:
Description of Study Protocol:
Recruitment: Studies were found via online search and manual review of literature.
Design: Systematic review
Blinding used (not applicable)
Intervention (not applicable)
Statistical Analysis (not applicable)
Data Collection Summary:
Timing of Measurements: Literature search conducted in December 2005, cited studies conducted 1993 to 2006.
Dependent Variables
- Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables (F & V)
Independent Variables
Associations related to the following were discussed:
Home availability of F & V, age, gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity, geographic location, School availability of F & V, preferences, accessibility of F & V and shopping patterns.
Control Variables (specific to individual studies)
Description of Actual Data Sample:
Initial and final N:
Thirty one (31) studies including qualitative, quantitative/cross-sectional studies, intervention, longitudinal and association designs.
Age, Ethnicity, Other relevant demographics and Anthropometrics (per individual studies)
Location: Researchers based in United Kingdom and United States of America.
Summary of Results:
Key Findings
- Availability of fruits and vegetables relates to consumption and the degree of availability differed by socio-economic status but not ethnicity.
- Availability of fruits and vegetables also moderates the association between other psychosocial variables and intake.
- Home availability of fruits and vegetables is both directly and indirectly associated with children's consumption.
- Preferences are a consistent indicator of consumption and the association between intake and availability is moderated by preferences.
- Interventions to increase consumption have been successful with continued intake over time with continued availability.
Author Conclusion:
The availability of fruits and vegetables is associated with intake. The relationship is sustained over time. Changes in availability are likely to mediate changes in consumption.
Reviewer Comments:
Strength: thorough review and presentation of selected studies
Weakness: Various populations and formats of selected studies difficult to pool together
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Research Design and Implementation Criteria Checklist: Review Articles
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Relevance Questions
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1.
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Will the answer if true, have a direct bearing on the health of patients? |
Yes
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2.
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Is the outcome or topic something that patients/clients/population groups would care about? |
Yes
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3.
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Is the problem addressed in the review one that is relevant to nutrition or dietetics practice? |
Yes
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4.
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Will the information, if true, require a change in practice? |
Yes
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Validity Questions
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1.
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Was the question for the review clearly focused and appropriate? |
Yes
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2.
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Was the search strategy used to locate relevant studies comprehensive? Were the databases searched and the search termsused described? |
Yes
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3.
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Were explicit methods used to select studies to include in the review? Were inclusion/exclusion criteria specified and appropriate? Were selection methods unbiased? |
No
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4.
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Was there an appraisal of the quality and validity of studies included in the review? Were appraisal methods specified, appropriate, and reproducible? |
No
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5.
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Were specific treatments/interventions/exposures described? Were treatments similar enough to be combined? |
No
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6.
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Was the outcome of interest clearly indicated? Were other potential harms and benefits considered? |
Yes
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7.
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Were processes for data abstraction, synthesis, and analysis described? Were they applied consistently across studies and groups? Was there appropriate use of qualitative and/or quantitative synthesis? Was variation in findings among studies analyzed? Were heterogeneity issued considered? If data from studies were aggregated for meta-analysis, was the procedure described? |
No
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8.
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Are the results clearly presented in narrative and/or quantitative terms? If summary statistics are used, are levels of significance and/or confidence intervals included? |
No
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9.
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Are conclusions supported by results with biases and limitations taken into consideration? Are limitations of the review identified and discussed? |
Yes
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10.
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Was bias due to the review’s funding or sponsorship unlikely? |
Yes
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Copyright American Dietetic Association (ADA).
