More Frequent Food Shopping May Promote Fruit and Vegetable Intake: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Food shopping frequency may be an important modifiable factor related to increasing fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. Because of mixed findings of individual studies of shopping frequency, a systematic review is needed to examine findings across studies and store types.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of articles examining the relationship between frequency of food shopping and FV intake including examination of participation in federal nutrition assistance programs on FV intake, if reported.

Methods: A search, guided by the Preferred Reported Items for Systematic Reviews and Metanalyses, using terms related to FV consumption and food shopping across 4 online databases, was conducted. Studies conducted in the US and published through October, 2020, included adults, and had a cross-sectional, longitudinal, cohort, or randomized study design were eligible for inclusion.

Results: Twenty-four articles were included. The majority of studies found at least 1 positive finding between the frequency of food shopping and FV intake, indicating that as the frequency of food shopping increased, FV intake increased. In studies with 100% participation in government/federal nutrition assistance programs, participation was associated with FV intake. Studies that included participation as a subset found participation not associated with FV intake.

Implications for future research and practice: The frequency of shopping may be modifiable to increase FV intake. Experimental research is needed to test the directionality and causality of the relationship. Federal nutrition assistance programs may be a logical place to test the relationship through the adjustment of fund disbursements.

Keywords: federal nutrition assistance programs; food acquisition; food shopping; fruit and vegetable intake; shopping behavior.