Determinant factors affecting adolescent fruit and vegetable consumption in Indonesia

INTRODUCTION: Adolescence is a critical period for getting used to eating fruit and vegetables for their health because it can affect health in adulthood. The behavior of adolescents in Indonesia who eat vegetables and fruit is still not in line with expectations. This study examined the factors influencing adolescent fruit and vegetable consumption in Indonesia.
METHODS: The cross-sectional study used secondary data from the Indonesia Global School-Based Student Health Survey (IGSHS). The IGSHS sample comprises 75 schools, with 11.142 students representing three regions (Sumatra, Java-Bali, Outer Sumatra, and Java-Bali) in 26 provinces and 68 districts/cities in Indonesia.
RESULTS: Age, soft drinks, and identified fast food consumption as determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption (p=0.001). Sex also affected fruit consumption (p=0.023). Adolescents who did not consume fast food were three times more likely to consume fruit than adolescents who did (OR=3.087, 95% CI=2.508-3.800). Meanwhile, adolescents who did not consume fast food were twice as likely to consume vegetables as those who did (OR=1.723,95% CI=1.395-1.731).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Age, soft drinks, and fast food consumption are determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption. These findings may provide meaningful recommendations for developing policies and health promotion programs to improve community nutrition by increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables among adolescents to achieve a better nutritional status.