People are advised to consume five servings of fruits and vegetables each day in order to lower the risk of getting heart diseases, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and many other health problems.
ARE WE GETTING ENOUGH GREENS?
According to researchers, people who eat at least seven servings of fruit and veggies a day, have the chance to reduce all the risks mentioned by 42 percent over the next years compared to those who eat less than one serving every day. But even with so many evidence published by specialists, people tend to eat much fewer fruits and vegetables than advised. The fact that fast foods are available everywhere doesn’t seem to help people improve their lifestyle.
AMERICANS SKIMP ON HEALTHY FOODS
So, in accordance with a new government study, published on 10th of July, in the CDC’s journal, approximately 75 percent of Americans are simply not consuming the 1.5-2 cups of fruits and 2-3 cups of vegetables every day, even if this is recommended by the U.S. federal dietary guidelines.
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System collected the published data, after more than 373,000 American adults in all 50 states, answered questions about how much fruit and vegetables they eat.
It seems that only 13.1 percent of Americans are eating the recommended one to one-and-a-half cups of fruit, every day. Regarding the vegetables, the research found that just 8.9 percent are eating two to three cups, as recommended.
The results varied from one state to another. California appeared to be taking the lead showing the highest numbers when it comes to both fruits, as well as veggies consumption. The worst state for fruit consumption was Tennessee, while the worst one for vegetable eating was Mississippi, as the results showed.
EFFORTS TO HELP PEOPLE EAT HEALTHIER
In order to improve vegetables and fruits consumption in adults, starting with children seems to be the best option, since they are also eating fewer fruits and veggies than recommended.
This effort might begin in schools, which must meet the federal nutrition standards. In addition, fruits and vegetables should also be made more appealing for children
Furthermore, the effort can be improved by making more fruits and vegetables available at work meetings and conferences.
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