Survey: Adults eating less fruit, not enough veggies

ATLANTA - An apple a day? Apparently not in the United States.

Most Americans still don't eat vegetables often enough, and fruit consumption is actually dropping a little, according to a new government report released yesterday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that last year about one-third of U.S. adults consumed fruit or fruit juice at least twice a day, down slightly from more than 34 percent in 2000.

Only about 26 percent ate vegetables three or more times a day, the same as in 2000. The statistics come from a national telephone survey of hundreds of thousands of Americans.

No state met federal goals of three-quarters of Americans eating enough fruit, and half eating enough vegetables. Californians ate the most fruit and Tennesseans were best with vegetables. Oklahoma was at the bottom for fruit and South Dakota had the lowest vegetable consumption.

Health officials have been promoting fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens, as alternatives to salty, fatty and sugary foods. The goal is to curb the nation's obesity problem and reduce diabetes, heart disease and other maladies tied to bad diets.

The 2009 data are discouraging, said Dr. Jennifer Foltz, a CDC epidemiologist and one of the study's authors.

The study was done before a new wave of government efforts to promote home and community gardens and to expand the sale of fruits and vegetables. A 2011 survey may show an improvement, she said. - AP