Is buying locally grown produce associated with fruit and vegetable consumption? Results from the North Carolina Children's Health Assessment Survey (CHAMPS)

Growth in farmers' markets, pick-your-own farms, CSAs, and gardening has increased interest in whether local food acquisition improves access and consumption of fruit and vegetables (F&V). This study aims to explore these relationships. Methods: The North Carolina Child Health Assessment and Monitoring Program (CHAMP) is a follow-back survey to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. Parents/guardians, BRFSS participants aged 18 and older, are asked about health characteristics and behaviors of their children, aged 0 to17. Questions to assess local food purchasing habits among parents were developed for use in the 2008 CHAMP survey (n = 2,987). Pearson's χ2 tests were used to assess the bivariate correlations between local food purchasing and socioeconomic variables. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model the association between parental purchasing of locally grown food and F&V intake among their children using weighted data. Results: In 2008, 70% of parents reported having purchased locally grown food at least once (mean 19 purchases/year, median 6 purchases/year) and 40% of children were reported to have consumed 5 or more servings of F&V per day. Children of parents who reported purchasing locally grown food had higher odds of consuming 5 or more servings of F&V per day compared to those whose parents rarely or never purchased local food [OR: 1.49 (95% CI 1.11, 2.01)] when controlling for child's race/ethnicity, age, and sex. Conclusion: Our results suggest that purchasing locally grown fruits and vegetables may influence F&V intake among children.