Translating advice to eat more vegetables into practice: observations from a 12-month weight loss trial

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the main vegetable sources of overweight participants during a 12-month randomised controlled trial for weight loss. Methods: Secondary analysis using data from diet history interviews to determine changes to daily vegetable intake amounts and types throughout the trial at 0, 3 and 12 months. Results: Pre-trial 77% participants consumed frozen vegetables. At baseline (n = 113, 85 F), participants reported 345 ± 170 (56-920) g/day vegetables increasing to 498 ± 180 (146-930) g/day at 3 months and remaining stable at 475 ± 169(170-1053) g/day by 12 months (p = 0.001). At baseline, 32 of 34 different vegetable categories were reported, mainly tomato (69.9 g/day) and, potato (58.2 g/day). After 3 months (n = 109), seven vegetables remained in the top 10 reported (contributing 72%). Tomato remained top ranked to 12 months. Conclusion: Following advice to consume more vegetables, consumption increased above the Australian Dietary recommendation of ~375 g/day. Tomatoes remained a mainstay regardless of the time of year, but choices changed with time. Frozen vegetables may be a feasible option.