The use of household budget surveys to estimate the availability of fruits and vegetables for consumption in Swiss households after deduction of food waste

Abstract

Background The consumption of 400-600 grams per day of fruits and vegetables has been linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and lower incidence of cancers and chronic diseases. This study explores the alignment of household purchases of fruits and vegetables with nutritional recommendations in Switzerland. Methods The Swiss Household Budget Surveys for 2006-2008 are analyzed to estimate the availability of fruits and vegetables at household level after accounting for food waste. A household is defined as meeting the recommendation when the monthly purchases by weight are equal or superior to the amount required to provide three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits per person per day. Results The descriptive statistics demonstrate that close to 90% of households fail to meet the vegetable recommendation, and 76% fail to meet the fruit recommendation when unavoidable waste is deducted. These percentages increase further when total waste (unavoidable, possibly avoidable, and avoidable waste) is deducted from household purchases. Moreover, a significant association is observed between the structure of the households and the availability of fruits and vegetables. Families with children are less likely to meet the recommendations than other types of households. Conclusions This paper reveals a need to improve the availability and accessibility to fruits and vegetables, particularly in households with children. It also highlights the importance of limiting avoidable food waste at household level. Interventions such as introducing price subsidies on fruits and vegetables, and educating the public on the importance of limiting household food waste, are recommended.