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Impact of Fruit and Vegetable Education on Daily Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Fruit and vegetable consumption is an important component of a healthy diet because fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, antioxidants, and other beneficial nutrients that support overall health and may reduce the risk of diet-related non-communicable diseases. However, many university students in Nigeria may consume inadequate amounts of fruits and vegetables due to financial constraints, limited availability, convenience, academic schedules, food preferences, inadequate nutrition knowledge, and greater reliance on processed and fast foods. Fruit and vegetable education provides an opportunity to improve students' knowledge of the nutritional and health benefits of fruits and vegetables and encourage their regular consumption. Against this background, this study investigates the impact of fruit and vegetable education on daily fruit and vegetable consumption among university students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and Theory of Planned Behavior. The Health Belief Model explains how students' perceptions of susceptibility to diet-related health problems, perceived severity, perceived benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their dietary practices. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes observational learning, behavioural modelling, self-efficacy, reinforcement, and the influence of peers, family, university environments, and food availability on dietary behaviours. The Theory of Planned Behavior explains how students' attitudes toward fruit and vegetable consumption, perceived social expectations, and perceived behavioural control may influence their intentions and actual consumption practices. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how fruit and vegetable education may influence daily fruit and vegetable consumption among university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental or analytical cross-sectional research design. The study population will comprise undergraduate students enrolled in selected public and private universities in Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select geopolitical zones, states, universities, faculties, departments, academic levels, and eligible students. Fruit and vegetable education will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to nutrition education sessions, frequency and duration of education, knowledge of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, awareness of recommended consumption, knowledge of different locally available fruits and vegetables, understanding of serving sizes, knowledge of ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables into meals and snacks, awareness of seasonal options, and knowledge of appropriate storage and preparation practices. Daily fruit and vegetable consumption will be assessed using indicators such as frequency of fruit consumption, frequency of vegetable consumption, number of daily servings, variety of fruits and vegetables consumed, consumption at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as snacks, consumption of locally available produce, and consistency of daily intake. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, nutrition knowledge assessment tools, food-frequency questionnaires, 24-hour dietary recall instruments where appropriate, and pre-test and post-test assessments where a quasi-experimental intervention is adopted. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students' demographic and academic characteristics, dietary patterns, sources of nutrition information, exposure to fruit and vegetable education, and consumption levels. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the impact of fruit and vegetable education on daily fruit and vegetable consumption. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, consumption levels before and after the educational intervention may be compared with those of a comparison group to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that fruit and vegetable education has a significant positive impact on daily fruit and vegetable consumption among university students in Nigeria. Students exposed to structured and practical fruit and vegetable education are expected to demonstrate improved nutrition knowledge and increased frequency and variety of fruit and vegetable consumption compared with students without comparable exposure. Education may improve students' awareness of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, knowledge of affordable locally available options, ability to incorporate produce into different meals, and confidence in selecting healthier foods. Practical demonstrations, meal-planning activities, and education on affordable seasonal produce may further support regular consumption. However, high food prices, limited availability, seasonal variation, inadequate storage facilities, academic schedules, food preferences, campus food environments, and greater availability of processed foods may reduce the effectiveness of education alone. The study therefore expects continuous, practical, affordable, and culturally appropriate fruit and vegetable education, supported by improved access to fresh produce within university environments, to contribute significantly to increased daily fruit and vegetable consumption among university students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on university student nutrition, fruit and vegetable consumption, nutrition education, dietary behaviour, healthy eating, non-communicable disease prevention, health promotion, community nutrition, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Education, universities, student health services, nutritionists, dietitians, public health practitioners, university administrators, campus food vendors, student affairs departments, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving dietary practices among university students. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating fruit and vegetable education into university health-promotion programmes, improving access to affordable fresh produce on campuses, promoting practical meal-planning skills, increasing awareness of locally available fruits and vegetables, strengthening nutrition counselling, and developing sustainable interventions to improve daily fruit and vegetable consumption among university students across Nigeria.

Keywords: Fruit and vegetable education, daily fruit and vegetable consumption, university students, nutrition education, dietary behaviour, healthy eating, fruit consumption, vegetable consumption, non-communicable disease prevention, Nigeria, public health.