Older adults report low fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. The lack of objective, field-based assessments of FV intake is a limitation when assessing the effectiveness of interventions.
Aim:
To examine if self-reported FV intake was correlated with Veggie Meter® scores among low-income older adults. The Veggie Meter® is a portable tool that uses pressure-mediated reflection spectroscopy to estimate skin carotenoid measurements.
Methods:
A cross-sectional assessment of FV intake, food security, and Veggie Meter® score in low-income older adults was conducted. Bivariate analyses quantified the association between FV intake and Veggie Meter® score.
Results:
Participants (n = 154) were mostly female (69.3%), non-white (66.2%) and at risk for food insecurity (65.6%). Mean Veggie Meter® score was 172.3 ± 77.2 and had a small significant positive correlation with FV intake (r= 0.192, p = 0.018).
Conclusion:
The Veggie Meter® may objectively indicate FV intake. Research to validate the Veggie Meter® in older, diverse populations is needed.
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