Factors associated with fruit and vegetable consumption in Brazil, 2006

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption and associated factors. METHODS: A total of 54,369 individuals aged >= 18 years living in Brazilian state capitals and the Federal District in 2006 were interviewed through the system Vigilancia de Fatores de Risco e Protecao para Doencas Cronicas por Inquerito Telefonico (VIGITEL - telephone-based surveillance of risk and protective factors for chronic diseases). The food consumption indicators used were regular intake of fruits and vegetables (>= 5 days/week) and adequate intake (>= 5 times/day). The prevalence of the indicators and their confidence intervals, stratified according to sex, were calculated. To analyze associations between sociodemographic variables, crude odds ratios were calculated and then adjusted for sex, age, schooling level and marital status. RESULTS: Less than half of the individuals said that they regularly consumed fruits (44.1%) or vegetables (43.8%), while 23.9% said they regularly consumed both fruits and vegetables. Adequate intake was reported by 7.3% of the interviewees. Fruit and vegetable consumption varied between the cities studied, was greater among women and increased with increasing age and schooling level. CONCLUSIONS: Initiatives for promoting fruit and vegetable consumption need to address both the whole population and, especially, cities in the Northern and Northeastern regions of Brazil, young people, men and the population strata of low schooling level.