Sources of vegetables, fruits and vitamins A, C and E among five ethnic groups: Results from a multiethnic cohort study

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition 2014-03, Vol.68 (3), p.384-391
• Main Authors: Sharma, S, Sheehy, T, Kolonel, L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 692/700/2814; 692/700/478/174; Aged; Ascorbic Acid - administration & dosage; Bananas; Biological and medical sciences; Carrots; Citrus fruits; Clinical Nutrition; Cohort analysis; Cohort Studies; Diet; Education; Energy Intake; Epidemiology; Ethnic groups; Ethnic Groups - statistics & numerical data; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Food; Food and nutrition; Food intake; Food sources; Fruit; Fruit - chemistry; Fruits; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hawaii; Humans; Internal Medicine; Los Angeles; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Men; Metabolic Diseases; Micronutrients; Micronutrients - administration & dosage; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; Nutrients; Nutrition; Oranges; original-article; Public Health; Social aspects; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vegetables; Vegetables - chemistry; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vitamin A; Vitamin A - administration & dosage; Vitamin E - administration & dosage; Vitamins; Women
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.271

Objectives: Data are limited on how dietary sources of food and nutrients differ among ethnic groups. The objective of this study was to determine the main sources of fruit, vegetables and vitamins A, C and E for five ethnic groups. Subjects/methods: Dietary data were collected using a validated quantitative food frequency questionnaire from participants in a multiethnic cohort in Hawaii and Los Angeles county between 1993 and 1996. Data were analyzed for 186 916 participants representing five ethnic groups: African-Americans, Japanese-Americans, native Hawaiians, Latinos and Caucasians. Results: Lettuce was the most consumed vegetable (6.0–9.9%) in all ethnic–sex groups, except among African-American women and Mexican-born Latino men and women. Oranges and bananas contributed more than one-quarter to total fruit intake among all groups. Overall, more ethnic variation in food choices was observed for the top 10 vegetables than for fruits. The top sources of vitamins A, C and E were carrots, orange/grapefruit/pomelo and combined dishes, respectively. Among the micronutrients studied, the greatest ethnic variation in foods consumed was observed for the top 10 food sources of vitamin A. Conclusions: This is the first study providing data on the main types of fruit and vegetables consumed and the major sources of vitamins A, C and E among these ethnic groups in the U.S. Such data are valuable for developing and implementing public health strategies to meet the USDA dietary recommendations and for guiding ethnicity-specific nutrition education and intervention programs.