The Influence of Social Involvement, Neighborhood Aesthetics, and Community Garden Participation on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

We considered the relationship between an urban adult population's fruit and vegetable consumption and several selected social and psychological processes, beneficial aesthetic experiences, and garden participation. We conducted a population-based survey representing 436 residents across 58 blo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican journal of public health (1971) Vol. 101; no. 8; pp. 1466 - 1473
Main Authors LITT, Jill S, SOOBADER, Mah-J, TURBIN, Mark S, HALE, James W, BUCHENAU, Michael, MARSHALL, Julie A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Washington, DC American Public Health Association 01.08.2011
Subjects
Adult
Aesthetics
Biological and medical sciences
Colorado
Community
Community Participation
Crops, Agricultural
Data Collection
Diet
Farmers markets
Food
Fruit
Fruits
Gardens & gardening
General aspects
Health Behavior
Health care
Households
Humans
Influence
Interpersonal Relations
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Miscellaneous
Neighborhoods
Nutrition research
Participation
Public health
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Research and Practice
Residence Characteristics
Studies
Urban Population
Vegetables
Social influence
Garden
Community participation
Residential neighborhoods
Fruit vegetable
Community action for health
Social aspect
Public health
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Summary:We considered the relationship between an urban adult population's fruit and vegetable consumption and several selected social and psychological processes, beneficial aesthetic experiences, and garden participation. We conducted a population-based survey representing 436 residents across 58 block groups in Denver, Colorado, from 2006 to 2007. We used multilevel statistical models to evaluate the survey data. Neighborhood aesthetics, social involvement, and community garden participation were significantly associated with fruit and vegetable intake. Community gardeners consumed fruits and vegetables 5.7 times per day, compared with home gardeners (4.6 times per day) and nongardeners (3.9 times per day). Moreover, 56% of community gardeners met national recommendations to consume fruits and vegetables at least 5 times per day, compared with 37% of home gardeners and 25% of nongardeners. Our study results shed light on neighborhood processes that affect food-related behaviors and provides insights about the potential of community gardens to affect these behaviors. The qualities intrinsic to community gardens make them a unique intervention that can narrow the divide between people and the places where food is grown and increase local opportunities to eat better.
Bibliography:Peer Reviewed
J. S. Litt oversaw all aspects of the study from its design to its evaluation. She led the statistical analysis and the preparation and review of the article. M.-J. Soobader designed the sampling protocol and the statistical analysis plan and assisted in the preparation and review of the article. M. S. Turbin managed the survey data set and contributed to the data analysis and the writing and review of the article. M. Buchenau contributed to the design and implementation of the survey and the writing and review of the article. J. W. Hale was responsible for survey implementation and contributed to the writing of the article. J. Marshall contributed to the development of the survey instrument, the analysis plan, and the review of the article.
Contributors
ISSN:0090-0036
1541-0048
DOI:10.2105/AJPH.2010.300111