March 19, 2007 -- Fruits and Vegetables Still Not On American Diet

Okay, listen up.  I don’t know how many times we gotta tell ya, eat your fruits and vegetables.  But it’s not working.  That’s according to two studies coming out in the April issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.  Only 11 percent of Americans are getting the two servings of fruits and three servings of veggies recommended each day.  Those recommendations have been in place since the Dietary Guidelines for Americans were adopted in 1990.  Diets high in fruits and vegetables are associated with lower risks of obesity and chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers. 

The new studies looked at 15 thousand Americans between 1988 and 1994 and another 9,000 between 1999 and 2002 and saw no improvement in the later group.  In fact, vegetable intake went down slightly.  Sixty two percent of the study subject typically had no fruit on a given day and 25 percent had no veggies.  Ketchup does not count. 

This is an apple.  (Biting into apple sound.) It’s good for you.  And it’s actually really good.  And it might really keep the doctor away.  Try one.