A large majority of adult Americans are not eating enough fruits and vegetables each day, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control.
Data showed only 12.2 percent of U.S. adults ate the recommended 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit per day and only 9.3 percent ate the recommended 2 to 3 cups of vegetables per day, the CDC said. The average American eats one serving of fruit per day and 1.7 servings of vegetables.
More women than men met the recommendations, and young adults and those closer to federal poverty levels were least likely to meet them, the CDC reported. Numbers also varied by location, with Washington, D.C., eating the most fruit and Alaska the most vegetables.
West Virginia had the fewest people meeting the recommendations for both fruit and vegetable consumption.
Plant-heavy diets have been shown to reduce the risks of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
In an effort to get more Americans to eat fruits and vegetables, the CDC report recommended trying to lower produce costs, making fruits and vegetables more widely available, and better educating the public about their benefits.
Twitter users theorized that people would eat more fruits and veggies if they tasted better, but most conceded the study numbers weren’t good.
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