Misconceptions of fruit and vegetable consumption: Differences between objective and subjective estimation of intake

This study reports the discrepancy between two methods to assess fruit and vegetable consumption in a Dutch adult population (N = 367). The consumption of fruit and vegetables was assessed by telephone interviews in two ways: it was estimated objectively by using a food frequency method (the number of grams of fruit and vegetables that subjects ate every day), and it was estimated subjectively by assessing the sell-rated fruit and vegetable intake of subjects. Besides behavior, intention was measured in two ways: the intention to eat fruit and vegetables each day and the intention to eat more fruit and vegetables. Also, determinants were measured using a theoretical model including the attitude toward fruit and vegetable consumption, self-efficacy expectation, and the social influence to eat fruit and vegetables. Results show that there were large differences between the self-rated and estimated objective consumption of fruit and vegetables. Subjects rated their own intake as much higher than their estimated objective intake. Furthermore, multiple regression analyses show that the determinants predicted the self-rated consumption much better than the estimated objective consumption. Subjects who rated their own consumption as high had more positive beliefs concerning fruit and vegetable consumption, experienced more positive social influence to eat fruit and vegetables, and had higher self-efficacy expectations of being able to eat fruit and vegetables than subjects who rated their own consumption as low It is concluded that nutrition education aimed at stimulating fruit and vegetable consumption should especially focus on making people aware of their own fruit and vegetable intake, in addition to changing attitudes and self-efficacy expectations.