Social contextual factors associated with fruit and vegetable consumption among construction laborers and motor freight workers

Background and Objective: Little is known about the reasons why blue-collar workers consume fewer fruits and vegetables than white-collar workers. This study investigated associations between a set of social contextual factors and fruit and vegetable consumption among construction laborers and motor freight workers, and identified factors shared between the two groups. Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from two groups of male, unionized workers: 1) construction laborers (N=1013; response rate = 44%) randomly selected from a national sample, as part of a smoking cessation and fruit and vegetable intervention study; and 2) truck drivers and dockworkers (N=542; response rate = 78%) employed in eight trucking terminals, as part of a study designed to promote tobacco cessation and weight management. Results: For both groups, being White, income, and believing it is important to eat right because of work were significantly associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. For construction workers, having the belief of eating junk food because of being tired and stressed from work was significantly associated with fruit and vegetable intake. For motor freight workers, having the beliefs that fast food is often the choice at work, and not having enough time to eat right because of work, were also significantly associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. Conclusion: Factors in the social context of workers' lives can shape dietary behavior. Comparing working groups illustrates how occupation may operate differently though common social contextual factors as well as facilitates the development of interventions that can be used across groups.