Socio-economic inequalities in the consumption of fruits and vegetables in Peru between 2014 and 2019. Issue 12 (8th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hernández-Vásquez, Akram; Visconti Lopez, Fabriccio J; Vargas-Fernández, Rodrigo
• Is Part Of: Public health nutrition. Volume 25:Issue 12(2022)
• Page Start: 3527
• Page End: 3537
• Publication Date: 2022-12-08
• Subjects: Fruit -- Vegetables -- Social inequalities -- Latin America -- Peru; Nutrition -- Periodicals; Nutrition policy -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; 613.2
• DOI: 10.1017/S1368980022001860
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-9800

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To estimate the prevalence and socio-economic inequalities in adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables in Peru between 2014 and 2019. Design: Analytical cross-sectional study. The outcome variable was adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables, defined as the consumption of five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per d (yes/no). We used concentration curves and Erreygers concentration index to describe socio-economic inequalities and a microeconometric approach to determine the contribution of each variable to inequality. Setting: Peru. Participants: Data from Peruvians aged 18 years or older collected by the Demographic and Family Health Survey. Results: The prevalence of adequate fruit and vegetable consumption did not change between 2014 (10·7 %; 95 % CI (10·0, 11·4)) and 2019 (11 %; 95 % CI (10·4, 11·7)). We found socio-economic inequalities in the adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables, with wealthier individuals having a higher prevalence of adequate consumption compared to poorer individuals in 2014 (19·2 % v . 3·5 %) and 2019 (18·6 % v . 4·7 %). The decomposition analysis found that education, urban areas and being wealthy were the main factors associated with socio-economic inequality in adequate fruit and vegetable consumption, being structural problems of society. Conclusion: Despite the current regulations on healthy eating in Peru, adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables remains low, and there are socio-economic inequalities between the poorest and wealthiest individuals. Our findings suggest that more efforts are needed to increase the intake and assess the disparities in adequate fruit and vegetable consumption.