Home gardening and fruit and vegetable intake in rural settlements in Northeast Hungary

Several studies have found that home gardening can impact fruit and vegetable intake. In Hungary, where fruit and vegetable consumption is among the lowest in the European Union (EU), poor diet is the main behavioral risk factor contributing to mortality. Therefore, this study explored the associations between home gardening and fruit and vegetable intake, as well as other health-related factors, in two rural settlements in Northeast Hungary. Participants for the cross-sectional study were recruited from two small rural towns (n = 269). The online survey collected demographic data, dietary habits, physical activity, and health status. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to examine the associations between home gardening and the odds of meeting fruit and vegetable intake recommendations. Almost two-thirds of the respondents grew fruit and vegetables at home. Most gardeners were women, highly educated, married, and had children under the age of 18. One-quarter of participants (24.9%) met the dietary recommendation for daily fruit and vegetable consumption, and 86.6% of them had a home garden. Participants with a home garden were more than four times more likely to meet the guidelines for fruit and vegetable intake than those without one (AOR = 4.49, 95% CI 1.95–10.18). This study provides evidence of a strong positive association between home gardening and meeting fruit and vegetable intake recommendations in rural Northeast Hungary. By focusing on an under-researched population with low baseline consumption, the findings extend prior research and support the potential role of home gardening as a context-specific public health strategy to improve dietary behaviors.