The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed today that your mom was right: Chances are, you’re not eating your veggies.
Specifically, nine out of ten American adults aren’t eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, at the expense of their health. For the record, Fruity Pebbles don’t count: The CDC considers 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and two to three cups of vegetables per day as its recommended amount.
The study quoted by the CDC was begin in 2019.
The findings also reveal regional differences by state. For example, 16% of Vermonters got their recommended amount of veggies — perhaps fitting for The Green Mountain State — while just 6% in Kentucky could say the same. However, not a single state in the Union fully met the CDC’s dietary requirements.
Women were more likely to hit the goals than men, and adults were more likely to be eating the right stuff compared to their younger counterparts. Furthermore, there were ethnic differences: For example, whites in the U.S. were generally found to consume more greenery compared to Black Americans, and Hispanics in the study were more likely to meet their fruit recommendations than were whites.
The CDC notes that the required fruit and veg intake could prevent severe health conditions like heart disease, obesity and diabetes. While that has been the goal since the guidelines were established decades ago, those suffering from those conditions now have something new to worry about: more severe outcomes of COVID-19.