Abstract:  Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Deaf Adults And Risk of Heart Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of death among men and women in the United States.  Therefore, the American Heart Association recommends an increased consumption of fruits and vegetables (5 or more servings per day).  Many studies have shown an inverse relationship between the consumption of fruits and vegetables and the risk of cardiovascular disease.  However, certain populations are unaware of the benefits that fruits and vegetables provide.  Culturally Deaf adults who use American Sign Language (ASL) often have limited English literacy (Gallaudet Research Institute, 1996; Holt, Traxler, & Allen, 1997) and have difficulty communicating with hearing health providers (Barnett, 2002). Consequently, Deaf adults miss a great deal of significant health information, leading to greater risk for CVD disease and other chronic diseases. The research question for this study was “What is the average intake of fruits and vegetables among Deaf adults?”  Three-day food diaries were collected from 57 Deaf adults.  The mean number of servings for fruit, vegetables and combined fruit plus vegetables fell below recommended number of servings for optimal health. Results support nutrition education for Deaf adults to minimize their risk for heart disease and other chronic diseases. Classes must be specifically tailored for Deaf adults because they often have lower educational levels than the general public and their preferred communication mode is sign language. Unless the nurse is fluent in sign language, arrangements should be made for a professional sign language interpreter to assist during health teaching.