Few adults meet fruit, vegetable intake recommendations: report

Atlanta – Adults aren’t eating enough fruit and vegetables, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Researchers examined national data from the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The nearly 375,000 participants were asked how often they ate whole fruit, dried beans and vegetables – as well as drank 100 percent fruit juice – during the previous month. Only 13.1 percent of survey participants met recommendations for fruit intake, and 8.9 percent ate enough vegetables, the report concluded.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the recommended daily amount is 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables for an adult who participates in less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity. (People who are more active may be able to eat more servings and stay within calorie limits.)

CDC states that intake of fruit and vegetables should be promoted at places such as work, schools and grocery stores. Having children eat more fruit and vegetables could lead to them eating more as adults, the report suggests.

The report was publishing the July 10 issue of CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.