Too Few Americans Eating Their Fruits and Veggies
Throughout the years, parents have urged their children, “Eat your fruits and veggies, they’re good for you!” And guess what? They are good for us. Fruits and vegetables, in general, provide our bodies with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and loads of disease-fighting antioxidants. Almost all are naturally low in fat and calories and none have cholesterol. All of these healthful characteristics may help protect against cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. Still, according to a new government study, only 14 percent of American adults are eating the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and less than 10 percent of high school students are getting the proper amounts of these wholesome foods.
The report—the State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009—is the first to provide a detailed look at the national and state-by-state progression toward objectives set for the Healthy People 2010 program, which is to get at least 75 percent of Americans to consume two or more daily servings of fruit and for at least 50 percent to consume three or more daily servings of vegetables. “A diet high in fruits and vegetables is important for optimal child growth, maintaining a healthy weight, and prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, all of which currently contribute to health care costs in the United States,” Dr. William H. Dietz, director of the CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, said in a news release.
However, the findings of the study are not encouraging. Only 33 percent of adults eat the recommended amount of fruit and only 27 percent meet the target for vegetables. Even more troubling is that only 32 percent of teens eat the recommended amount of fruit and a scant 13 percent meet the goal for vegetables. “At the current rate, the goal won’t be met,” said CDC epidemiologist Heidi Blanck, who worked on the report.
No state met or even came close to the national objectives for adult consumption of fruits and vegetables. Washington, D.C. leads the nation with 20.1 percent of adults reporting they meet both daily recommendations, followed by Vermont, Maine, Hawaii, with New York rounding out the top five at 16.5 percent. Mississippi ranks last with 8.8 percent. “This report will help states determine what is taking place in their communities and schools and come up with ways to encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables,” Dietz said.
The report highlights three areas where improvements could be made to increase the percentage of people meeting the Healthy People goals: increased stock of high-quality fruits and vegetables in grocery stores, availability of healthier foods in school cafeterias and vending machines, and food policy councils that evaluate the access to fresh produce at community and state levels. Currently, only eight states have policies in place for healthier retail improvements, only one in five (21 percent) of U.S. middle and high schools offer fruits and non-fried vegetables in vending machines, snack bars or school stores, and fewer than half the states (20) have a state-level food policy council.
“We have seen the tremendous benefit of state and local officials, health professionals, employers, food store owners, farmers, school staff, and community members working together on food and nutrition issues,” Blanck said in the news release. “Their efforts can help to increase the availability of affordable healthier food choices such as fruits and vegetables.”