Americans Not Eating Enough Fruits and Vegetables – In 2000 the government set a number of goals for how many fruits and vegetables that most people should be eating. A whole decade later, and a recent study has shown that Americans are not even close to reaching the goals that were set by the government ten years ago. The Us Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 67.5 percent of most adults ate fruit less than two times per day. 73.7 percent ate vegetables less than three times per day.
It is clear that the country needs to do more in the way of promoting the consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are necessary for a balanced diet. This trend is also likely related to the large percentage of obese Americans. It is clear that most people in the United States do not have a diet that would be considered healthy.
Now, the government is looking for ways to bring more fruits and vegetables to schools and workplaces to encourage consumption. Imagine that your vending machine had fresh fruit instead of chips and snacks. Would you be more likely to eat healthy if the options available to you were healthier?
Ten states showed significant decreases in fruit and vegetable consumption including Arizona, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee. Some experts have guessed that convenience is the main issue here. Perhaps if it were easier to prepare meals using vegetables people would be more prone to eating them? Some experts have also guessed that part of the problem lies in the public’s inability to distinguish the nutritional value of frozen and canned fruits and vegetables.