Knowledge, Barriers, and Benefits of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Lay Conceptions of Nutrition among Rural and Semi-Urban Black South Africans

Abstract

This study investigated fruit and vegetable consumption and psychosocial variables among rural and semi-urban Black adults in South Africa. The sample consisted of 200 adults, 100 from a semi-urban and 100 from a rural area chosen by two-stage cluster sampling. Only seven (7%) of the villagers and none of the semi-urban dwellers reported the recommended 5 or more fruit or vegetable servings per day. The majority (63% rural and 58% semi-urban dwellers) indicated that they had 2–4 servings a day. Fruit and vegetable intake was not associated with perceived barriers, perceived health benefits, or diet knowledge, but there was a significant correlation between good perceived eating habits and fruit and vegetable consumption. Villagers perceived more barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption regarding expense, confusing recommendations, and time and effort than semi-urban dwellers. Insensitivity to high exposure was seen in responses to the question about positively regarded nutrients: for vitamins, 54% and 37% and for protein 63% and 53% of semi-urban and rural dwellers, respectively, believed that one cannot consume too much. The majority recognized the essential values of salt and fat. More semi-urban participants did not recognize that salt and fat are dietary essentials and that too much salt or fat is better than none at all.