Public Health Nutrition: 10(12), 1508–1514 DOI: 10.1017/S1368980007000742 Psychosocial and demographic predictors of fruit, juice and vegetable consumption among 11–14-year-old Boy Scouts M Shayne Gallaway 1, *, Russell Jago 2 , Tom Baranowski 3 , Janice C Baranowski 3 and Pamela M Diamond 4 1 Houston Health Science Center, School of Public Health, The University of Texas at Houston, 1200 Hermann Pressler Drive, Suite E-627, Houston, TX 77030, USA: 2 Department of Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK: 3 Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA: 4 Houston Health Science Center, Center for Health Promotion, The University of Texas at Houston, Houston, TX, USA Submitted 27 October 2006: Accepted 14 June 2007: First published online 9 August 2007 Abstract Objective: Psychosocial and demographic correlates of fruit, juice and vegetable (FJV) consumption were investigated to guide how to increase FJV intake. Design: Hierarchical multiple regression analysis of FJV consumption on demo- graphics and psychosocial variables. Setting: Houston, Texas, USA. Subjects: Boys aged 11–14 years (n 5 473). Results: FJV preference and availability were both significant predictors of FJV consumption, controlling for demographics and clustering of Boy Scout troops. Vegetable self-efficacy was associated with vegetable consumption. The interac- tion of preference by home availability was a significant predictor of FJV. The interaction of self-efficacy by home availability showed a trend towards sig- nificantly predicting vegetable consumption. No significant interactions were found between body mass index and the psychosocial variables. Conclusions: Findings suggest that future interventions emphasising an increase in preference, availability and efficacy may increase consumption of FJV in similar populations. Keywords Psychosocial Fruit Juice Vegetables Correlates Children Adolescents Self-efficacy Preferences Home availability There is strong epidemiological evidence of a protective role of fruit and vegetables in the prevention of cancer 1,2 , coronary heart disease 3 and becoming overweight 4 . According to the National Health and Nutrition Exam- ination Survey 1999–2002, 16% (.9 million) of all US children and teens were overweight 5 . Overweight and obesity substantially increase the risk of illness from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke 6 , type 2 diabetes 7 and some cancers 8 . Children’s dietary intake behaviour is important because it may track into adolescence and adulthood 9–11 . Persons of all ages 12 , all ethnic subgroups (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and other) 13,14 and in various countries 15–17 eat fewer than the recommended number of servings of fruit, juice and vegetables (FJV). Factors identified as contributing to low FJV consumption in the past have included low home availability and accessibility 18,19 , low preference and low self-efficacy 19,20 . FJV preferences predicted FJV intake in both child and adult populations 21–32 . FJV self-efficacy – the ability to select, prepare and eat FJV – has been associated with consumption in some studies 23,25,28,31,33,34 but not in others 24,27 . This might indicate that previously reported associations between self-efficacy and FJV intake may be influenced by other factors. Home FJV availability has been associated with consumption among children 29,30,32,34–36 . Interactions among predictors of FJV consumption have been investigated. The interaction between pre- ference and home availability predicted FJV consump- tion 30 . An interaction between self-efficacy and availability also predicted FJV consumption 29,36 . A recent study investigated whether psychosocial determinants of FJV intake differed between normal and overweight boys 37 . FJV consumption among overweight children may differ from that of children with normal weight-for- age as a result of lower FJV preference, home availability or efficacy. The primary objective of the present study was to assess whether FJV preferences, home FJV avail- ability and FJV self-efficacy were associated with FJV consumption. The secondary objective was to examine possible interactions among FJV preference, home avail- ability, self-efficacy and body mass index (BMI) on con- sumption, as a new contribution to the existing literature. *Corresponding author: Email Michael.S.Gallaway@uth.tmc.edu r The Authors 2007