The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #58384

Karen Elizabeth Schultz, MPH, Yale Griffin Prevention Research Center, 130 Division Street, Derby, CT 06418, 203-732-1265, karen.schultz@yalegriffinprc.org, Ming-Chin Yeh, PhD, Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, 130 Division Street, Derby, CT 06418, and David L. Katz, MD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8034.

Background: Increasing fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption is a national public health priority, as outlined in the Healthy People 2010 objectives. A thorough understanding of the determinants and barriers related to F&V intake is a requisite foundation for designing effective interventions. CDC-funded formative research using intercept interview techniques was used to collect information in multi-ethnic populations. Methods: Intercept interviews were used to “catch” people just after they have made a decision to purchase or not to purchase F&V. A research team surveyed a local supermarket and a diner restaurant at different times of day (morning, afternoon, and evening) and different days of the week, including weekends. The Intercept Interview was brief including verbal consent, basic demographics, a question to assess the type and quantity of F&V just purchased/consumed (if any), and several semi-open ended questions related to taste, cost, availability. Results: For supermarket results (n=27), over 60% of participants who agreed to be interviewed were females. The results indicated the top three factors that influenced participants to buy fruits were price, freshness, and taste whereas special sales, price, and taste were the top three factors for buying vegetables. Approximately 50% of the participants identified that availability was extremely important where they shop for F&V. Results collected from the diner (n=17) were similar to those collected from the supermarket. However, only about one third of the participants at the diner found availability to be extremely important. The differences in the importance of perceived availability between these two venues deserves further investigations.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to:
• 1. Describe the techniques of intercept interviews.
• 2. Identify determinates and barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption.
• 3. Develop intercept interview questions.

Keywords: Food and Nutrition, Behavior Modification

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.