Researchers in China studied how well people understand nutrition and whether that knowledge affects how many vegetables and fruits they eat. They surveyed adults and found that people with better nutrition knowledge were much more likely to eat vegetables and fruit regularly. Interestingly, this connection was stronger for some groups of people than others—like women, city dwellers, and people with higher incomes. The study suggests that teaching people about nutrition could help them make healthier food choices, but the approach might need to be different depending on who you’re trying to reach.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Does understanding nutrition help people eat more vegetables and fruits? And does this connection work the same way for everyone?
  • Who participated: Adults living in Bengbu, China. The study looked at differences between men and women, people living in cities versus rural areas, farmers versus non-farmers, and people with different income levels.
  • Key finding: People with the best nutrition knowledge were 3 times more likely to eat fruit regularly compared to those with the least knowledge. They were also 53% more likely to eat dark vegetables and 34% more likely to eat light vegetables.
  • What it means for you: Learning more about nutrition and why vegetables and fruits matter could genuinely help you eat more of them. However, the benefit may depend on your situation—your gender, where you live, and your income level may all play a role in how much this knowledge helps.

The Research Details

Researchers conducted a survey in one Chinese city where they asked adults questions about their nutrition knowledge and their eating habits. This type of study, called a cross-sectional survey, takes a snapshot of people at one point in time rather than following them over months or years. The researchers used a statistical method called ordinal logistic regression to figure out whether people with better nutrition knowledge actually ate more vegetables and fruits. They also looked at whether this relationship was different for different groups of people—comparing men to women, city residents to rural residents, and people with different income levels.

This research approach is useful because it can show us whether nutrition knowledge and eating habits are connected in real-world situations. By looking at different groups separately, the researchers could discover that the same knowledge might work differently depending on a person’s circumstances. This helps public health experts understand that a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition education might not work for everyone.

This study was published in a peer-reviewed nutrition journal, which means other experts reviewed it before publication. However, because it’s a snapshot study rather than a long-term follow-up, we can’t be completely certain that better nutrition knowledge actually causes people to eat more vegetables—it’s possible that people who already eat well are more motivated to learn about nutrition. The study was conducted in one Chinese city, so the results may not apply exactly the same way to other countries or regions with different cultures and food systems.

What the Results Show

About 7 out of 10 adults in the study reported eating dark-colored vegetables regularly, but only about 4 out of 10 ate light-colored vegetables regularly, and only 4 out of 10 ate fruit regularly. This shows that many people aren’t eating enough variety. When researchers compared people with the highest nutrition knowledge to those with the lowest knowledge, they found huge differences: people with better knowledge were 3 times more likely to eat fruit, 53% more likely to eat dark vegetables, and 34% more likely to eat light vegetables. These differences were statistically significant, meaning they’re very unlikely to have happened by chance.

The study discovered that nutrition knowledge didn’t help everyone equally. For dark-colored vegetables, the benefit of nutrition knowledge was strongest for women, people living in cities, non-farmers, and people with higher incomes. For light-colored vegetables, the benefit was mainly seen in non-farmers. Interestingly, for fruit consumption, the benefit of nutrition knowledge was actually strongest for people with lower incomes (less than 1,000 RMB per month or 1,000-3,000 RMB per month). This suggests that lower-income individuals might be particularly responsive to nutrition education when it comes to fruit.

Previous research has shown that nutrition knowledge is connected to healthier eating habits, and this study confirms that finding. However, this research adds important new information by showing that the strength of this connection varies significantly based on a person’s gender, where they live, and their income level. This suggests that earlier studies looking at the overall population may have missed important differences between groups.

The study only included people from one city in China, so we don’t know if these results apply to other regions or countries. Because it’s a snapshot study, we can’t prove that learning about nutrition actually causes people to eat more vegetables—it’s possible the relationship works the other way around, or that other factors influence both. The study didn’t measure actual nutrition knowledge in detail, so we don’t know exactly what specific information helps people eat better. Finally, the study relied on people reporting their own eating habits, which can sometimes be inaccurate.

The Bottom Line

If you want to eat more vegetables and fruits, learning about nutrition and understanding why they’re important appears to be genuinely helpful (moderate confidence). Public health programs should focus on teaching nutrition, but they should tailor their approach based on who they’re trying to reach—different strategies may work better for different groups. For women, city residents, and higher-income individuals, general nutrition education may be effective for increasing vegetable intake. For lower-income individuals, nutrition education focused specifically on fruit may be particularly valuable.

Everyone interested in eating healthier should care about this research, but it’s especially relevant for public health officials, nutritionists, and educators designing programs to help communities eat better. If you’re a woman, live in a city, or have a higher income, you may find that learning about nutrition particularly helps you eat more dark vegetables. If you have a lower income, nutrition education about fruit specifically might be especially helpful for you.

You probably won’t see changes overnight. Building new eating habits typically takes several weeks to a few months. The research suggests that once you understand why vegetables and fruits matter for your health, you’re more likely to gradually increase how much you eat over time. Expect gradual improvement rather than dramatic changes within days.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your daily vegetable and fruit servings for two weeks, noting the color of vegetables (dark like spinach or broccoli versus light like cauliflower or cabbage) and the type of fruit. This creates a baseline to see if learning more about nutrition helps you increase your intake over the next month.
  • Use the app to learn one new fact about vegetables or fruits each day—for example, why dark-colored vegetables are particularly healthy, or which fruits are easiest to keep on hand. Then set a daily goal to eat one more serving than you currently do, and track whether you hit that goal.
  • Check your vegetable and fruit intake weekly and compare it to your baseline. Look for patterns—do you eat more when you’ve recently learned something new about nutrition? Are certain types of vegetables or fruits easier for you to eat regularly? Adjust your learning focus based on what you find most motivating.

This research shows a connection between nutrition knowledge and eating more vegetables and fruits, but it doesn’t prove that learning about nutrition will definitely change your eating habits. Individual results vary based on many factors including your circumstances, preferences, and access to fresh produce. If you have specific health conditions or dietary concerns, consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet. This study was conducted in China and may not apply exactly the same way in other countries or regions.