eprintid: 11538
rev_number: 11
eprint_status: archive
userid: 3170
dir: disk0/00/01/15/38
datestamp: 2020-08-07 12:33:35
lastmod: 2020-08-19 11:49:31
status_changed: 2020-08-07 12:33:35
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Sinyolo, S
creators_name: Ndinda, C
creators_name: Murendo, C
creators_name: Sinyolo, S A
creators_name: Neluheni, M
icrisatcreators_name: Murendo, C
affiliation: Human Sciences Research Council, 134 Pretorius Street, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
affiliation: ICRISAT (Bulawayo)
affiliation: Link Development Analytics, Zengeza 4, Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe
affiliation: Agriculture Sector Education and Training Authority, 529 Belvedere Street, Arcadia, Pretoria
country: South Africa
country: Zimbabwe
title: Access to Information Technologies and Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables in South Africa: Evidence from Nationally Representative Data
ispublished: pub
subjects: S40
subjects: V11
subjects: s2.17
subjects: s400001
divisions: CRPS5
full_text_status: public
keywords: Fruits and vegetables, Information access, Healthy diets, South Africa
note: The authors wish to thank the stakeholders who participated in the key informant interviews
and focus group discussions, as well as the research assistants who assisted with facilitating these engagements.
The authors would also like to acknowledge our former colleague Ntombizodwa Mbelle for her contributions
in the conceptualisation of this paper.
abstract: Extensive evidence indicates that fruit and vegetable (F+V) consumption leads to reduced
chances of diet related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, the F+V consumption
levels remain low. This paper investigates the extent to which access to information technologies
improves F+V consumption in South Africa. A nationally representative sample of 20,908 households
was analysed using the Poisson and logit regression models. The study results indicated that most
households do not consume sufficient F+V per day. Only 26% of the household heads consumed F+V
at least five times a day. Access to mobile phones, radio, television, and internet was associated with
increasing frequency of F+V consumption, and higher chances that a household would consume
the minimum recommended levels. The association between the communication technologies
and F+V consumption varied. Television access had the highest association with both foods,
while internet was only significantly associated with vegetable consumption. Several demographic
and socio-economic factors played a key role in shaping F+V consumption patterns. The results
show that there is scope to disseminate nutrition awareness and education programs, through mobile
phones, internet, radio and television in South Africa. The interventions to promote F+V consumption
should be tailored according to the different socio-economic profiles of the population.
date: 2020-07
date_type: published
publication: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (TSI)
volume: 17
number: 13
publisher: MDPI
pagerange: 1-17
id_number: doi:10.3390/ijerph17134880
refereed: TRUE
issn: 1660-4601
official_url: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17134880
related_url_url: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=10.3390%2Fijerph17134880&btnG=
funders: International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
citation:   Sinyolo, S and Ndinda, C and Murendo, C and Sinyolo, S A and Neluheni, M  (2020) Access to Information Technologies and Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables in South Africa: Evidence from Nationally Representative Data.  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (TSI), 17 (13).  pp. 1-17.  ISSN 1660-4601     
document_url: http://oar.icrisat.org/11538/1/ijerph-17-04880.pdf