Promoters and barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption among Health Academy Program's users

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate promoters and barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption among Health Academy Program's users. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in six Health Academy Program's units in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 62 users. Content analysis was performed using the software NVivo10. Results: The main barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption were: limited access, low purchasing power, price, lack of public initiatives, lack of time, laziness, fruit being considered no more than a food alternative, and not having supper. The most common promotion factors were: health, disease prevention/control, taste, vegetable being considered part of a meal, family habit and background, raise in income, nearly outlets, and purchasing strategies. Conclusion: It is necessary to expand access to fruits and vegetables by strengthening public initiatives that reduce prices and increase production and the number of outlets. Educational interventions should focus on creating reasons for consuming not limited to the health-disease discourse and viable solutions that facilitate the daily intake of fruits and vegetables, either by developing strategies for the acquisition of fruits and vegetables or by expanding the cooking skills to include more practical preparations.