BMI was associated with all the variables included in the bivariate correlation (SBP; fruit, vegetable, and soda consumption; and physical activity). This finding and that of the regression analysis supports the research hypothesis that there would be significant associations among these variables. As stated previously, study results indicate that participants who consume greater than three servings of fruit per day have a significantly lower mean BMI compared to those who consume less than three servings per day (21.7 vs. 22.6; P=.017). These results are similar to those of Bernard and colleagues, who reported that significantly fewer servings of fruit and vegetables were consumed by overweight school children than normal-weight children (Bernard, Lavallee, Gray-Donald, Delisle, 1995). The finding from the current study also supports prior research suggesting a protective relationship between fruit consumption and BMI. After adjusting for caloric intake, however, the magnitude of the effect was diminished and no longer significant (Field, Gillman, Rosner, Rockett, and Colditz, 2003).
The current study found that soda consumption was an independent risk factor for overweight. This supports the findings of Ludwig and colleagues