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Methods : The 1984 birth-cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1997 was followed at ages 18, 23, and 27 (N=1386). Multinomial logistic regression models, compensated for inflated type-I error (α=0.01) and adjusted for sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, marital status, and body mass index (BMI), examined behavioral associations. Additionally, 6244 respondents were followed at ages 18-22(Time-1), 23-27(Time-2), and 27-31(Time-3); repeated measures analysis of variance plus multiple regression determined if the transition of exercise frequency between Time-1 and Time-2 was associated with simultaneous and sequential changes in fruit/vegetable intake, controlling for sociodemographic factors and BMI.

Results : Males were more likely to exercise adequately and females to consume fruit/vegetable adequately; lowest rates were among blacks. In females and whites, heavy television viewing at age-18 was associated with inadequate vegetable consumption. In whites, excessive television viewing at age-27 accompanied very low vegetable intake. In females and blacks, excessive television viewing at age-27 co-occurred with inadequate fruit consumption. Moderately high television viewing in males at age-18 was associated with very low vegetable intake 5-years later. Moderately high television viewing in females at age-23 was associated with moderately low fruit intake 4-years later. Exercise frequency transition was linearly associated with concurrent fruit/vegetable intake. A small but significant effect of Time-2 exercise frequency on Time-3 fruit/vegetable intake existed, after accounting for bas eline intakes.

Conclusion : Longitudinal associations reflected the probable effects of television advertisements on fruit/vegetable intake of high-school-age males and post-college-age females. Strong cross-sectional associations emphasized the probable role of mindless eating while watching television. Newly engaging and continuing with exercise behavior over considerable time may help form exercise habits and heuristics that facilitate improved fruit/vegetable consumption behavior. Therefore, a critical need exists for developing novel interventions to counteract food advertisements, converting mindless eating into mindlessly eating better and to facilitate transferring resources from healthy exercise behavior to healthier dietary behavior.