FACTORS INFLUENCING THE STATED PREFERENCE FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: A CASE OF YOUNG ADULTS IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

The study was carried out to investigate the influence of different attributes on the stated preference for fruits and vegetables among young adults in Lagos State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 284 young adults from different tertiary institutions. Data were collected using structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics such aa multivariate probit regression model. The study revealed that orange (90.4%), pineapple (60.3%), pawpaw (55.5%), watermelon (58.1%), banana (61.4%), apple (72.8%), tomato (93.0%), onion (73.5%), and carrot (61.8%) were the fruits and vegetables mostly preferred by young adults, respectively. The results further revealed that the general attributes or reasons that informed these choices for fruits and vegetables were young adults’ likeness (72.8%), taste (65.4%), and the nutritional benefits (59.9%). In addition, the findings showed that the specific attributes that mostly informed young adults’ preference for each fruit or vegetable were their likeness (orange (74.3%), apple (61.4%), tomato (77.2%) and onion (58.8%)), taste of the fruit or vegetable (orange (75.0%), apple (60.7%), tomato (73.0%) and onion (53.3%)), appearance of the fruit or vegetable (orange (52.0%) and tomato (59.0%)), health reasons (tomato (58.1%)), nutritional benefits derived from the fruit or vegetable (orange (54.8%) and tomato (58.1%)), availability of the fruit or vegetable (tomato (54.0%)), and affordability of the fruit or vegetable (tomato (50.7%)). The findings further revealed that taste (orange (P<0.05), apple (P<0.10) and tomato (P<0.01)), availability (tomato (P<0.01) and onion (P<0.05)), and nutritional benefits derived from consuming fruit or vegetable (orange (P<0.01), watermelon (P<0.10), pawpaw (P<0.05), pineapple (P<0.05) and banana (P<0.05)) were mostly the factors that influenced young adults’ preference for the different fruits or vegetables. The study concluded that taste, availability and nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables were the factors influencing preference among young adults in the study area. Based on the findings, the study recommended that if the health security of young adults will be prioritized, then nutritional educational must be provided from an early stage.