This research paper looked at the fruit and vegetable intake for 766 adults participating in a community garden in Flint, Michigan. It is one of the few studies to really measure whether consumption increased or not and by how much. Using questionnaire items from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System phone surveys were conducted from all city census tracts. The responses were analyzed controlling for demographic, neighborhood participation and health variables.
The results showed that adults who had a household member participating in a community garden consumed fruits and vegetables 1.4 more times per day than those who did not participate, and they were 3.5 times more likely to consume fruits and vegetables at least 5 times daily. The conclusion of the study is that household participation in a community garden may improve fruit and vegetable intake among urban adults.
I'd love to hear from you!