Promoting Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Public Health Initiatives

Fruit and vegetable consumption is a cornerstone of chronic disease prevention, environmental sustainability and equitable food systems. Yet across many populations, average intakes remain below recommended levels, contributing to non-communicable disease burdens and widening health inequalities. Public health initiatives have therefore employed a range of strategies: from policy instruments such as subsidies and fiscal incentives, through community engagement and mass media campaigns, to targeted behaviour change interventions utilising social marketing, school- and workplace-based programmes, and digital tools. Behaviour change theories underpin many of these efforts, emphasising factors such as self-efficacy, goal-setting and environmental modifications to reduce barriers to access.

Globally, mass media and social marketing campaigns seek to reshape norms around fruit and vegetable consumption by enhancing awareness of health benefits, creating memorable messaging and leveraging peripheral cues such as humour or anthropomorphism. At the community level, interventions often integrate brief messaging within existing activities, fostering peer support and self-monitoring. Digital innovations, including mobile apps and interactive platforms, are emerging as accessible ways to personalise feedback, reinforce recommendations and sustain engagement over time. Together, these multifaceted approaches aim to increase both the quantity and variety of intake, contributing to public health objectives and sustainable food systems worldwide.

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Promoting Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Public Health Initiatives publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in public health initiatives across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Social marketing: The strategic application of marketing principles to influence behaviours that benefit individuals and communities for the greater social good.

Mass media campaign: A coordinated effort using television, radio, print or digital channels to deliver persuasive health messages to broad audiences.

Peripheral route to persuasion: A process by which individuals are influenced by superficial cues—such as humour or visual imagery—rather than by the strength of arguments.

Anthropomorphism: The attribution of human traits, emotions or intentions to non-human entities, used in messaging to foster emotional engagement.

References

1. An Interactive Mobile Phone App (SMART 5-A-DAY) for Increasing Knowledge of and Adherence to Fruit and Vegetable Recommendations: Development and Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR mHealth and uHealth (2019).
2. Brief fruit and vegetable messages integrated within a community physical activity program successfully change behaviour. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (2007).
3. The lasting impact of the Go for 2&5 campaign. Health Promotion Journal of Australia (2024).
4. Appearance-based health promotion messages for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption: gender, age and adverse effects. Journal of Public Health: From Theory to Practice (2022).