Whole fruits are preferable because they provide fiber and are more satisfying because of the fiber, water, and the chewing process, she explained.
When it came to fruit, about two-thirds of Americans surveyed said they had at least one serving every day, often whole fruit. About 30% had citrus fruits, melons, or berries, while 47% reported having some other form of whole fruit.
According to Ansai, that was a decrease from 1999 and 2000, when 77% of Americans surveyed said they had consumed fruit every day.
The reason for the downward trend is unclear. But Diekman suggested that this could be due to the growing caution of added sugars lurking in store-bought juices.
Health experts have long encouraged Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables. However, according to Tamara Dubowitz, much more than advice is needed to change the diet of people, especially low-income Americans. She is a senior policy researcher at RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research organization.
Dubowitz said federal programs such as Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and SNAP (the “grocery stamps” program) were “extremely important” to helping families afford nutritious food.
But many factors can prevent low-income Americans from putting healthy meals on the table.
“Our research has shown that nutrition is influenced by all sectors – from housing security to access to affordable food and quality of education,” said Dubowitz.
So the solution is “much more than just food policy,” she added.
“It’s also housing policy, labor policy and land use policy,” said Dubowitz.
Ansai agreed the importance of a full effort to bring healthy eating to more Americans.
For individuals, Diekman said, it is ideal to eat a variety of whole fruits and vegetables – vegetables, reds, oranges, and all other colors – over the course of a week.
There is a place for homemade vegetables, Diekman said, as some people find it convenient and tasty. But she added, “I suggest saving the solid to add to soups or stews and to help maintain nutrition.”
The NCHS published the survey results on February 5th in the NCHS Data Brief.
More information
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has advice on eating healthy on a budget.
SOURCES: Nicholas Ansai, MPH, Department of National Health and Nutritional Assessments, United States National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Md .; Connie Diekman, MEd, RD, food and nutritionist, St. Louis; Tamara Dubowitz, ScD, MSc, Senior Policy Researcher, RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh; NCHS Data Brief, February 5, 2021
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