Perceptions of older, low-income women about increasing intake of fruits and vegetables

Focus groups were conducted with 28 older, low-income women in order to identify factors that affected their fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption. Themes emerging from data analysis include barriers to making dietary changes, specifically to increasing F&V consumption; beliefs about benefits of consuming F&V as compared with other dietary changes; and use of supplements as a substitution for eating F&V. A prominent subtheme concerned the conflict women felt between their desire to consume more F&V and their desire not to waste food. Focus group participants gave concrete suggestions on how to help older, low-income women increase F&V consumption, which included environmental supports.