Residential area deprivation predicts fruit and vegetable consumption independently of individual educational level and occupational social class: a cross sectional population study in the Norfolk cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC-Norfolk).
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2004 ; 58: 686-91.
Shohaimi S, Welch A, Bingham S, Luben R, Day N, Wareham N, Khaw KT
DOI : 10.1136/jech.2003.008490
PubMed ID : 15252072
PMCID : PMC1732860
URL : https://jech.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/jech.2003.008490
Abstract
To investigate the independent association between individual and area based socioeconomic measures and fruit and vegetable consumption.
Cross sectional population based study.
22,562 men and women aged 39-79 years living in the general community in Norfolk, United Kingdom, recruited using general practice age-sex registers.
Fruit and vegetable intake assessed using a food frequency questionnaire.
Being in a manual occupational social class, having no educational qualifications, and living in a deprived area all independently predicted significantly lower consumption of fruit and vegetables. The effect of residential area deprivation was predominantly in those in manual occupational social class and no educational qualifications.
Understanding some of the community level barriers to changing health related behaviours may lead to more effective interventions to improving health in the whole community, particularly those who are most vulnerable.
Study : EPIC-Norfolk: The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer Norfolk Cohort