The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), 2015–2020 (1), recommends consuming different types of vegetables, including dark green, red or orange, starchy, and other vegetables, and fruit, especially whole fruit. Fruits and vegetables are part of healthy eating patterns; they are sources of many essential nutrients, fiber and phytochemicals, and are associated with decreased risk of chronic diseases (1–3). This report examines the percentage of children and adolescents aged 2–19 who consumed fruits and vegetables on a given day in 2015–2018.
Key findings:
- In 2015–2018, approximately three-quarters of children and adolescents aged 2–19 (75.3%) consumed fruit on a given day.
- The percentage of children and adolescents who consumed any fruit on a given day decreased with age.
- A little more than 90% of children and adolescents aged 2–19 consumed vegetables on a given day.
- The percentage of children and adolescents who consumed any fruit on a given day increased with income, from 72.1% of those from families with income less than 130% of the federal poverty level (FPL) to 79.6% of those from families with income equal to or above 350% of FPL.
To read the full report by the CDC, please click here.