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I’m sure that everyone reading this does their level best to get their fill of the best, most nutritious foods that they can. But as a nation, it’s hard to know if there will ever be a point where Americans will get enough of the good stuff.
The latest study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that more than one-third of American adults are obese. And to make matters worse, a recent CDC report states that less than twenty percent of American adults are getting enough of their fruits and veggies.
The CDC recommended daily servings of fruits is between one-and-a-half and two cups, for vegetables it’s between two to three cups. Since so few Americans are getting this, the CDC is calling for more competitive pricing for fruits and vegetables, and more and better access to them in schools.
Consuming enough fruits and veggies is especially important in obesity control, which is why the CDC is treating this as such a serious issue. Placing a focus on these foods can help with obesity control, especially if there’s easier access and more promotions of these foods.
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The study also posted the top and lowest performing states for fruit and vegetable consumption. Perhaps unsurprisingly, California was at the top of the list for both fruits and veggies, with fruit consumption at 18% and veggies at 13%. At the bottom was Tennessee, with only 8% getting enough fruit, and only 6% of adequate veggie consumption in Mississippi.
So how do we fix it? Whether it’s with making veggies more accessible in the workplace and at schools, or lowering prices on our healthy foods, something has got to give. If we want to fight obesity and lower our level of diseases, fruits and veggies are a good place to start.
What would you do to get more people to eat vegetables?
Photo Copyright © 2012 areebanwer/Flickr
