Habits and food intake of fruit and vegetables in university students

Background: Eating habits and healthy dietary intake in the population are essential, especially the intake of fruit and vegetable for their health benefits. Therefore, the aim of this work was to understand the habits and the intake of fruits and vegetables among students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed, considering a sample of 218 university students (18 to 30 years old). A validated and reliable instrument was used to measure food consumption and food preparation habits. Results: Fruits as a snack between meals were ingested by more women than men (p=0.006), the ingestion of fruits was more common among students >25 years compared to younger students (p=0.05). Women reported a higher intake of vegetables compared to men (p=0.07). Women mainly prepared food and more than 50% ate outside the home. Conclusion: The ingestion of fruits and vegetables was below WHO recommendations (400 g), even in the group of women who consumed fruit as a snack.