Americans Young And Old Are Still Not Eating Enough Fruits And Vegetables

In a “report card” on the progress the U.S. has made toward meeting the goals of a 2005 National Action Plan for improved public health, the National Fruit and Vegetable Association awarded several failing grades. Adult and teen fruit and vegetable consumption are unsatisfactory, for example. Advertising of low nutrition foods is decreasing, but “it has not been replaced with advertising for more nutritious foods.” According to the NFVA, the economic cost attributable to inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption grew from $29.3 billion to $56.2 billion over the last ten years, because of growing costs of treating diet-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke. The association gave an “A” grade to the new fruit and vegetable vouchers in the federal Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).