Poster Presentation Nutrition Society of Australia 50th Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Culturally tailored nutrition interventions for increasing fruit and vegetable intake in culturally and linguistically diverse populations: a systematic review (145138)

Carla Vanessa Alves Lopes 1 , Simin Samavat 2 , Paul Mason 1 3 , Diana Tang 2 , Lauren Gorfinkel 1 , Rimante Ronto 2
  1. School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. School of Health Sciences and Nursing, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. School of Communication, Society and Culture, Faculty of Arts, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Title

Culturally tailored nutrition interventions for increasing fruit and vegetable intake in culturally and linguistically diverse populations: a systematic review

Abstract

Low fruit and vegetable consumption is a major risk factor for chronic disease and remains particularly challenging among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations due to linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers. Given their importance as sources of dietary bioactive compounds, fruits and vegetables play a key role in chronic disease prevention. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase fruit and vegetable intake among CALD populations and identify culturally tailored strategies associated with improved dietary outcomes. The review was registered in PROSPERO and conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Four electronic databases (Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, Medline and Embase via Ovid) were searched. Cultural adaptation strategies were analysed using Kreuter’s framework⁽¹⁾, examining linguistic, sociocultural, constituent-involving, evidential and peripheral approaches. Thirty-two studies were included, the majority of which were conducted among Latino/Hispanic populations in the United States. Positive outcomes were reported across nearly all studies, including increased fruit and vegetable intake (66%) as well as improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and dietary diversity. Statistically significant increases in fruit and vegetable consumption were reported in 59% of studies, with the greatest improvements observed in interventions that combined multiple cultural adaptation strategies. Among the cultural adaptation strategies identified, linguistic (88%), sociocultural (84%) and constituent-involving (81%) approaches were the most prevalent, while peripheral (28%) and evidential (16%) approaches were relatively infrequent. Only four studies incorporated all five cultural strategies. Culturally tailored interventions can effectively improve fruit and vegetable intake among CALD populations. Findings suggest that interventions promoting fruit and vegetable consumption through culturally meaningful foods and practices, alongside active community involvement in their design and delivery, are more likely to support meaningful and sustained dietary change.

Reference

  1. Kreuter MW, Lukwago SN, Bucholtz DC, Clark EM, Sanders-Thompson V (2003) Health Educ Behav 30, 133–146.

 

Keywords

Culturally and linguistically diverse populations; fruit and vegetable intake; culturally tailored interventions; public health nutrition