Hot on HuffPost Parents:
Lisa Belkin: The Tornado In Oklahoma Is This Parent's Living Nightmare
Jenn Horton: Every Mom Deserves Your Nod
Few Americans eat enough fruits or veggies
Filed under: Babies, Toddlers Preschoolers, Teens, Nutrition: Health, Development/Milestones: Babies
An article reviewed on HealthDay News today suggested that despite the known health benefits of fruits and vegetables, too few Americans are eating the recommended amounts of these foods, a new study finds. Teenage boys are the worst offenders, with less than 1% of them getting the recommended intake. Children aged 2 to 3 do best, with 48% getting the recommended amount. But just 17 percent of women aged 51 to 70 meet the goal, and among other age groups, nearly 90 percent are falling short. The authors examined at how many Americans ate enough fruits and vegetables under the previous recommendation -- five servings a day -- and how many were doing so under new guidelines released in 2005. The new guidelines -- part of the USDA's MyPyramid program -- recommend eating two to six-and-a-half cups of fruits and vegetables a day, depending on your age and gender. The study analyzed used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III from 1999 to 2000, and included complete data on 8,070 people, ages 2 and up. When the researchers applied the previous five-a-day recommendations, only 40% of people met the mark. The results of the study are not that surprising, but it is nice to know that children do best at eating fruits and vegetables. However, there is a downside to the data: fewer than 50% of them are doing so. That should be a cause of concern to many of us as parents. To figure out how many cups of fruits and vegetables you should be eating, the authors suggest you should visit MyPyramid.
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
Recently Asked
TheTalkies:RelatedVideos
-
How to Introduce Your Kids to New Fruit and Veg
Learn how to introduce your kids to new Fruit and Veg by visiting the farmer's market.
-
Teaching Kids to Eat Their Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are probably the most important food your child can learn to eat but teaching them isn't always an easy task. Recipe ideas and tips to work four super nutritious produce powerhouses - kale, spinach, sweet potatoes and strawberries – into their diet.
-
Encouraging Your Toddler to Eat Healthy
Would you like your toddler to eat more fruit and vegetables? Learn some techniques for encouraging healthy eating here.
-
How to Prepare Fruit for Babies
In this video, Certified Health, Nutrition and Wellness Counselor, Lisa Wilson will walk you through everything you need to know to begin making your own organic baby food. This is an introduction to your baby's very first foods. In this video Wilson will explain how to prepare fruit for your baby.
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family