Ohio State University Extension Information

Ohio State University Extension, Sandusky County

2000 Countryside Dr. Fremont, OH 43420-9574

5 A Day Roadside Market Project

Americans fall far short of consuming five or more servings of fruits and vegetables as recommended by the U.S. dietary Guidelines, the Food Guide Pyramid, and the Diet and Health Report. The results of the 5 A Day baseline survey of a nationally representative indicated only 23% of adults were consuming the recommended level in 1991. The median level of consumption in this survey was 3.4 servings per day. The National Cancer Institute, in their review of 150 epidemiological studies, found people who consumed five servings of fruits and vegetables daily were half as likely to develop cancer of the digestive and respiratory tract than those who consumed fewer than two servings a day.

Twenty roadside markets in Sandusky County sell locally grown fruits and vegetables from May through October. Historically roadside market operators have requested information from Extension related to how much produce to buy and how to safely preserve fruits and vegetables. Roadside market customers during the peak growing season have many questions related to nutrition, selection, and food preservation. Customers are referred to the local Extension office for additional information, however many times the information is not requested due to a variety of reasons.

As a result the local Extension staff was empowered to provide reliable bias-free information to the roadside markets. The objectives of the 5 A Day Roadside Market project were:

1. To provide research-based information related to nutrition, selection, and preservation of ten locally grown fruits and vegetables
2. To increase awareness of the 5 A Day concept at the point of purchase.

Roadside market facilities vary from permanently enclosed buildings to temporary tables with a tent-like canvas roof. The market space is often limited, and weather was a concern in selecting the literature and visual aids that would be useful to all of the roadside market operators and their customers.

The roadside markets received professionally produced laminated posters promoting the 5 A Day concept. The roadside markets also received a quantity of the fact sheets which provided research-based information related to commonly asked questions. Due to space limitation at the roadside markets, the fact sheets were printed on 4 1/4 " X 5 1/2 " and folded in half to fit in the provided display racks.

The roadside market fact sheets were also distributed by the local county Health Department to Women, Infant, & Children (WIC) clients during the distribution of WIC produce coupons. These coupons are redeemable only for produce grown in the county. The WIC dietitian and the Family Nutrition Program Assistant provided educational demonstrations on fruits and vegetables using the fact sheets for WIC clients to promote the 5-A-Day concept.

During the spring of 1996 approximately 38,000 fact sheets and 40 laminated posters were distributed to twenty roadside markets. The project was evaluated by interviewing the twenty markets operators at the end of the growing season. Interview results indicate 100 percent of the roadside markets distributed the fact sheets, and 80 percent of the operators found the laminated posters useful to increase awareness of the 5 A Day concept to their customers. One market operator indicated some of their employees had little knowledge of the questions to expect from customers. The fact sheets proved to be helpful to educate the employees as well as to provide the requested information to roadside market customers.

An Innovative grant from Extension made it possible to provide the educational materials to the roadside markets.

Review the most current information on this project at: http://ohioline.ag.ohio-state.edu/5-a-day.

Current factsheets are:

• Apples
• Corn
• Cucumbers
• Green Snap Beans
• Melons
• Peaches
• Peppers
• Squash and Pumpkins
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes

For additional information related to the project, contact Sharon L. Mader, C.F.C.S., at Ohio State University Extension, Sandusky County, 2000 Countryside Drive, Fremont, OH 43420-9574; Tel: (419)334-6340; email: sand@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu

References

1. Cancer Facts and Figures, 1994. American Cancer Society: Atlanta, GA; 94-375M No. 5008.94
2. Doll R. and Peto R. The Causes of Cancer 1981. Oxford University Press. Oxford.
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health, 1988; DHHS (PHS) Publication No. 88-50210, U.S. Government Printing Office: Washington, D.C.
4. Block G., Patterson B., and Subar A. Fruit, vegetables, and cancer prevention: a review of epidemiological evidence. Nutr and Cancer 1992; 18(1):1-29.
5. 5 A Day For Better Health, National Cancer Institute.

Acknowledgment

The author thanks Ohio State University Extension for funding this project through an Innovative Grant. The author gratefully acknowledges the contributions of Ronald Overmyer, Agricultural and Natural Resource Extension Agent; Lisa Jinks, Family Nutrition Program Assistant; Betsy Shellhammer, former Agricultural Program Assistant; Debbie Estep, Secretary; Mary Kershaw, Human Nutrition & Food Management Extension Associate; and Lydia Medeiros, Ph.D., R.D., L.D., Food & Nutrition Extension Specialist, to the project.