Factors Affecting Intake of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables have very significant roles in human nutrition in addition to their functional role, being a vital source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber and hence primordial to maintain or achieve good health. Ideally, a variety of fruits and vegetables must be consumed such that several nutrients are present in order to act together and maintains the proper functioning of the body. Indeed, currently more and more individuals are becoming health-conscious resulting in thorough assessment of the benefits of fruits and vegetables in relation to health. Nonetheless, it is also of no denying that many developing as well as developed countries have a low recommended intake of fruits and vegetables. To this effect, this book has been geared to address factors determining the intake of fruits and vegetables in a multicultural and developing country like Mauritius. Much emphasis has been laid on possible associations between demographic factors, food insecurity, intra- and inter-personal factors with respect to the frequency of fruits and vegetables intake and in a panoply of social settings.