Most diets not meeting guidelines: CDC

By Eileen McGaurin

The nation as a whole flunked the fruit and vegetable test as reported by the Centers for Disease Control, but kids fared far worse than adults.

Only 13 percent of children are eating at least three servings of the recommended veggies a day, while 32 percent report eating at least two servings of fruit, according to the CDC's "State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009" released today.

"A diet high in fruits and vegetables is important for optimal child growth, maintaining a healthy weight and prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, all of which contribute to health care costs in the United States," said Dr. William Dietz, of the CDC.

Kids in Vermont scored the best on the survey, with 11.4 percent of kids  saying they ate the recommended amounts of both fruits and vegetables,  while Arkansas kids scored at the bottom, with 5.2 percent saying they ate  the required amounts.

Adults nationwide scored a bit better in the report, with 33 percent saying they ate their required fruit consumption and 27 percent eating their vegetables.

While health officials aim for at least 75 percent of Americans to eat two or more servings of fruit a day and 50 percent to eat three or more vegetables a day, less than half of the nation is meeting that goal.

In an effort to shift eating patterns, the CDC is recommending that communities increase the number of full-service grocery stores, have schools promote fruit and vegetables to kids and establish food policy councils to make fresh produce more available.

Scores of the recent CDC study have improved, however, when compared to a 1996 study by the American Cancer Society.

The study, reported in Pediatrics, looked at 3,148 children between the ages of 2 and 18 years.

They found nearly one quarter of all the vegetables consumed by kids were french fries.

Only one in five children consumed five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day, said the study.

Perhaps giving a hint to parents and doctors, the study concluded: "Pediatricians should encourage the consumption of fruits and vegetables -- especially dark green and deep yellow vegetables -- by children."

The CDC study did not count french fries as a vegetable for their survey.