A new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that during 2007–2010, half of the total U.S. population consumed less than 1 cup of fruit and less than 1.5 cups of vegetables daily. This equates to 76% of the U.S. population not meeting fruit intake recommendations, and 87% not meeting vegetable intake recommendations. The study also shows substantial variation in fruit and veggie consumption state by state.
Fruit and vegetable intake information from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is the sole source of dietary surveillance information for most states, but frequency of intake captured by BRFSS is not directly comparable to federal intake recommendations, which are expressed in cup equivalents. The CDC analyzed median daily frequency of fruit and vegetable intake based on 2013 BRFSS data for the 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC) and applied newly developed prediction equations to BRFSS to calculate the percentage of each state's population meeting fruit and vegetable intake recommendations.
They found that overall, 13.1% of respondents met fruit intake recommendations, ranging from 7.5% in Tennessee to 17.7% in California, and 8.9% met vegetable recommendations, ranging from 5.5% in Mississippi to 13.0% in California. The researchers conclude that substantial new efforts are needed to build consumer demand for fruits and vegetables through competitive pricing, placement, and promotion in child care, schools, grocery stores, communities, and worksites.
Because fruit and vegetable consumption affects multiple health outcomes and is currently low across all states, continued efforts are needed to increase demand and consumption. The researchers suggest that improving fruit and vegetable consumption for adults might start with improving intake during childhood. During 2007–2010, 60% of children consumed fewer cup equivalents of fruit than recommended, and 93% consumed fewer vegetables than recommended.
Better dietary practices earlier in life might lead to better practices later in life, and places where children learn and play can have an integral role in improving intake. For example, school districts, schools, and early care and education providers can help increase children's fruit and vegetable consumption by meeting or exceeding current federal nutrition standards for meals and snacks, serving fruit and vegetables whenever food is offered, and training staff to make fruit and vegetables more appealing and accessible.
