Salud Pública de México
Print version ISSN 0036-3634
RAMIREZ-SILVA, Ivonne; RIVERA, Juan A; PONCE, Xochitl and HERNANDEZ-AVILA, Mauricio. Fruit and vegetable intake in the Mexican population: results from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2006. Salud pública Méx [online]. 2009, vol.51, suppl.4, pp. S574-S585. ISSN 0036-3634. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0036-36342009001000012.
OBJECTIVE: To quantify fruit and vegetable (FV) dietary intake in the Mexican population and compliance with international recommendations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: FV dietary intake (FV-DI) and compliance with international recommendations were obtained in a representative sample of a Mexican population ages 1-59 years old using dietary data from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2006 (ENSANUT 2006). RESULTS: Average FV-DI for different age groups range from 61 to 72 g for fruits and 26 to 56 g for vegetables. Average total FV intakes were 88.7 g in preschool-age, 103.1 g in school-aged children, 116.3 g in adolescents and 122.6 g in adults. The lowest intakes were observed in the northern region and among the population with the lowest wellbeing levels. CONCLUSIONS: Less than 30% of the Mexican population had adequate intakes of FV. Developing and implementing strategies aimed at increasing intake of these food groups is a national priority.
Keywords : fruits; vegetables; children; adolescents; adults; Mexico.