Barriers to the consumption of fruits and vegetables among older adults.

Compared with younger adults, older people experience additional health, social, and environmental conditions that affect their dietary intake. To identify those additional dimensions and examine them in association with fruit and vegetable intake, data of 4,622 participants in NHANES III (1988-1994), ages 60 years and over, were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression modeling. Results showed that participants at highest risk of consuming fruits and vegetables in the lowest quartile were those socially isolated, with missing pairs of posterior teeth, with poor self-reported health and those who were obese. To prevent downward spiraling health, barriers must be addressed in intervention programs.