[Barriers and facilitators to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables in six countries in Latin America].

Low intake of fruits and vegetables is among the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and some cancers. The countries have implemented policies to promote food consumption. Identifying the barriers perceived by people to consume it helps to recognize the resources that would be willing to exchange for benefits. The objectives of this study are to determine what factors are facilitators and barriers to increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables in six countries in Latin America, and a possible relationship between the 5 a day program and the food based dietary guidelines. This is a qualitative and field study. Techniques used were group interviews with health professionals and the media, and interviews with experts in food policy. The outstanding facilitators were television advertising campaigns promoting their use, and the existence of fruits and vegetables markets in the neighborhoods. Highlighted those obstacles were lack of public policies of advertising regulations and trade hooks of food, of self-sustainability, of funding for related programs, and of sociological research of the topic. The main barrier to the consumption of fruits and vegetables in these countries was the lack of policy support and related public policy, being a good advertising campaign vital to the success of programs that encourage consumption. The main relationship between the Dietary Guidelines and the 5 A Day Program is to both promote the consumption of vegetables and fruits.