ABSTRACT
Objectives: This study aimed at identifying the differences in the vegetable intake frequency among rural, suburban, and urban residents. It also intended to estimate the effects of vegetable cultivation, receiving vegetables, and purchasing vegetables at farmers’ markets on the differences in vegetable intake frequency. Based on the results, to promote vegetable intake, we discuss the value of supporting vegetable cultivation in the rural areas.Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study targeting residents aged between 20 and 74, living in three parts of a city within the Gunma prefecture in Japan. The three locations were selected to represent the rural, suburban, and urban areas. We mailed two sets of anonymous self-administered questionnaires to all households in the three areas (a total of 2,260 households, comprising about 1,000 people aged between 20 and 74 in each area). The survey requested information on the vegetable intake frequency, vegetable cultivation, frequency of receiving vegetables, frequency of vegetable purchase at farmers’ markets, the subjective difficulty in food-store access, economic circumstances, health attitudes, and demographic characteristics. We used the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to examine the data obtained.Results: We received 873 responses (from 586 households), of which 90 were irrelevant, thus leaving a sample of 783 residents (257 rural, 259 suburban, 267 urban) available for statistical analysis. The results revealed that the rural residents had significantly greater vegetable intake frequency than the urban and suburban residents did. These regional differences became smaller after the adjustment of the following variables: vegetable cultivation, receiving vegetables, and vegetable purchase at farmers’ markets. No significant difference was observed in the vegetable intake frequency between the rural and urban respondents after this adjustment was made.Conclusions: Vegetable intake frequency was higher in the rural area than in the suburban and urban areas. Vegetable cultivation, receiving vegetables, and vegetable purchase at farmers’ markets were strongly linked to these regional differences.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the effects of health promoting in farmers ' market,in order to provide evidence for effective intervention. Methods Comprehensive intervention trials with 2 - year follow-up were conducted in farmers ' markets of Hangzhou city,and all the individual enterprises were investigated by questionnaires. The environment of market and files were also inspected. Results After intervention,the environment of markets were improved. compared to the baseline,qualification rates of products all improved significantly(p<0. 01). The knowledge about food safety regulations, labels,prevention of intestinal infectious disease,harm of expired vegetables and treatment with expired food and prohibited food were widely informed( p <0. 01 ). The poultry salesmen had a growing awareness of avian influenza A,and they became more professional in protective equipments,disinfecting and hand-washing. Conclusion The health promoting program in farmers' markets has the effect on environment,management of food-safety and the health literacy of individual enterprises.