The aim of the current study was to establish whether the neighbourhood food environment, characterised by the healthiness of food outlets, the diversity of food outlets and fast-food outlet density within a 500 m or 1000 m street network buffer around the home address, contributed to ethnic differences in diet quality.

Cross-sectional cohort study.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Data on adult participants of Dutch, South-Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, Turkish and Moroccan descent (n total 4728) in the HELIUS study were analysed.

The neighbourhood food environment of ethnic minority groups living in Amsterdam is less supportive of a healthy diet and of less diversity than that of participants of Dutch origin. For example, participants of Turkish, Moroccan and South-Asian Surinamese descent reside in a neighbourhood with a significantly higher fast-food outlet density (≤1000 m) than participants of Dutch descent. However, we found no evidence that neighbourhood food environment characteristics directly contributed to ethnic differences in diet quality.

Although ethnic minority groups lived in less healthy food environments than participants of ethnic Dutch origin, this did not contribute to ethnic differences in diet quality. Future research should investigate other direct or indirect consequences of residing in less supportive food environments and gain a better understanding of how different ethnic groups make use of their neighbourhood food environment.

To gain insight in Dutch food bank recipients’ perception on the content of the food parcels, their dietary intake and how the parcels contribute to their overall dietary intake.

Eleven semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted. Focus group topics were based on Andersons food insecurity definition: the lack of availability of nutritionally adequate foods and the assured ability to acquire foods in socially acceptable ways. Data were coded and analysed with Atlas.ti 7.0 software, using the framework approach.

Seven food banks throughout the Netherlands.

A total of 44 Dutch food bank recipients.

Food bank recipients were not always satisfied with the amount, quality, variation and type of foods in the food parcel. For the participants who could afford to, supplementing the food parcel was reported as main reason for buying foods, and price was the most important aspect in selecting these foods. Participants were not satisfied with their dietary intake; they mainly reported not having enough to eat. The content of the food parcel importantly influenced participants’ overall dietary intake. Finally, participants reported struggling with their feelings of dissatisfaction, while also being grateful for the foods they receive.

This study suggests that, despite their best efforts, food banks are not meeting food bank recipients’ needs. Our results provide valuable directions for improving the content of the food parcels by increasing the quantity, quality and variation in the foods supplied. Whether this also improves the dietary intake of recipients needs to be determined.

To investigate the effects of providing free fruit and snack vegetables at a university on students’ fruit intake, snack vegetable intake and total vegetable intake.

Free fruit and raw snack vegetables (e.g. bite-sized tomatoes) were provided in a stand in the form of a miniature wooden house located in the central hall of the university’s main building, which students regularly pass through on their way to lectures and the cafeteria. Three interventions tested with a pre-test/post-test design were performed. In these three interventions, small changes to the appearance of the stand were made, such as placing potted plants around it. Demographic characteristics and fruit and vegetable intakes were assessed with questionnaires.

A Dutch university of applied science.

Intervention 1 included 124 students; Intervention 2 included ninety-two students; Intervention 3 included 237 students.

Longitudinal linear regression analyses showed that post-test snack vegetable intake was consistently higher compared with pre-test. In the three interventions, post-test snack vegetable intakes were between 11 and 14 g/d higher than at the pre-test, which is comparable to three bite-sized tomatoes. No differences in fruit intake or total vegetable intake were found. Subgroup analyses showed that, in all three interventions, students with the lowest pre-test fruit intake and total vegetable intake reported the largest increase in fruit intake and snack vegetable intake after the interventions.

Providing free fruit and vegetables to students at their university might be beneficial for those with low habitual intakes.

To investigate fruit and vegetable (F&V) intakes of university students and associated demographic and lifestyle characteristics, and students’ perceptions of F&V availability and F&V intervention strategies in the university environment.

Cross-sectional questionnaire data were collected; F&V intakes were measured using a food frequency tool. Multivariable linear regression analyses were used to analyse the associations between demographic and lifestyle characteristics and F&V intakes.

Universities in the Netherlands.

University students (n 717).

The majority of students did not adhere to Dutch F&V guidelines (71 % and 93 %, respectively). Fruit intake was lower among students who were male, living independently, enrolled in a technical study, not adhering to physical activity guidelines, and heavy to excessive alcohol drinkers. Vegetable intake was lower among students who were non-Dutch, living with their parents, not adhering to physical activity guidelines, and moderate and heavy to excessive alcohol drinkers. Most students perceived that their university environment offers sufficient healthy foods (60 %) and F&V (65 %), but also indicated that their F&V intakes would increase with interventions concerning affordable F&V in the university canteen (64 %) or university supermarket (60 %). Students were less disposed to indicate that weekly local farmers’ markets, vegetable parcels or a vegetable garden would increase their F&V intakes.

Dutch university students do not consume enough F&V. Future efforts that aim to promote students’ F&V intakes should consider the differences between subgroups based on demographic and lifestyle characteristics and that affordable F&V in the university environment might be an effective strategy.

To investigate socio-economic differences in changes in fruit and vegetable intake between 2004 and 2011 and explore the mediating role of financial barriers in this change.

Respondents completed a self-reported questionnaire in 2004 and 2011, including questions on fruit and vegetable intake (frequency per week), indicators of socio-economic position (education, income) and perceived financial barriers (fruits/vegetables are expensive, financial distress). Associations were analysed using ordinal logistic regression. The mediating role of financial barriers in the association between socio-economic position and change in fruit and vegetable intake was studied with the Baron and Kenny approach.

Longitudinal GLOBE study.

A total of 2978 Dutch adults aged 25–75 years.

Respondents with the lowest income in 2004 were more likely to report a decrease in intake of cooked vegetables (P-trend<0·001) and raw vegetables (P-trend<0·001) between 2004 and 2011, compared with those with the highest income level. Respondents with the lowest education level in 2004 were more likely to report a decrease in intake of fruits (P-trend=0·021), cooked vegetables (P-trend=0·033), raw vegetables (P-trend<0·001) and fruit juice (P-trend=0·027) between 2004 and 2011, compared with those with the highest education level. Financial barriers partially mediated the association between income and education and the decrease in fruit and cooked vegetable intake between 2004 and 2011.

These results show a widening of relative income and educational differences in fruit and vegetable intake between 2004 and 2011. Financial barriers explained a small part of this widening.

We aimed to identify barriers for meeting the fruit, vegetable and fish guidelines in older Dutch adults and to investigate socio-economic status (SES) differences in these barriers. Furthermore, we examined the mediating role of these barriers in the association between SES and adherence to these guidelines.

Cross-sectional.

Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA), the Netherlands.

We used data from 1057 community-dwelling adults, aged 55–85 years. SES was measured by level of education and household income. An FFQ was used to assess dietary intake and barriers were measured with a self-reported lifestyle questionnaire.

Overall, 48·9 % of the respondents perceived a barrier to adhere to the fruit guideline, 40·0 % for the vegetable and 51·1 % for the fish guideline. The most frequently perceived barriers to meet the guidelines were the high price of fruit and fish and a poor appetite for vegetables. Lower-SES groups met the guidelines less often and perceived more barriers. The association between income and adherence to the fruit guideline was mediated by ‘perceiving any barrier to meet the fruit guideline’ and the barrier ‘dislike fruit’. The association between income and adherence to the fish guideline was mediated by ‘perceiving any barrier to meet the fish guideline’ and the barrier ‘fish is expensive’.

Perceived barriers for meeting the dietary guidelines are common in older adults, especially in lower-SES groups. These barriers and in particular disliking and cost concerns explained the lower adherence to the guidelines for fruit and fish in lower-income groups in older adults.