Summary
Consuming five or more cups of fruits and vegetables (F & V) per day or 400 g/day for adults is advocated by most health authorities and has short-term and long-term health benefits. There have been numerous studies examining dietary behaviors among different U.S. populations; however, the literature on F & V consumption behavior among Asian Americans (AAs) is sparse. AAs constitute a diverse group and as their population continues to grow in the U.S.; there is a greater need to examine the health practices of AAs and their constituent subgroups. The study aimed to conduct a thematic analysis based on a scoping review of the peer-reviewed published literature over the past 15 years targeting F & V consumption among AAs.
Findings: The thematic analysis was organized around the prevalence, consequences, determinants, and interventions. AAs consuming recommended servings of F & V ranged from 0.5% to 20%. Correlations between the consumption of F & V and Body Mass Index (BMI) and other chronic diseases were reported as negative and significant associations were noted between F & V intake and self-reported health. There was only one intervention that was conducted with this behavior in only one small subgroup of this target population. There is an urgent need to study F & V consumption behavior among different AA subgroups as well as to design culturally appropriate theory-based efficacious F & V promotion interventions for them.
Authors refer to a study using 2011–2012 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS).
