Journal of Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences

Background and Aim: Life style is formed in adolescence period. Despite the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) in promoting health, FVCin adolescents is not in a desirable level, so the present study was done with the aim of determining perceived barriers (PB) of FVC among female high school students.

Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted in 2013. Four hundred female high school students in Gochan were selected by using two stage sampling method. Data were collected through a valid and reliable questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using SPSS18 software and one- way ANOVA.

Results: Mean score of PB was 49.06±18.02 (score between 0-100). PB in 20.8% of the students was in a low level, 62% in a moderate level and in 17.3% was in a high level. Expensiveness of fruit and lack of education by teachers were the most important PB, respectively. There was a significant association between PB and parents’ educational level, parent’s job and economic status and number of household.

Conclusion: Expensiveness of fruit and lack of education by teachers were the most important PB.It is therefore recommended that students with lower economic status, lower parents’ educational level and students with large household be identified, and appropriate intervention should be done to decrease PB.