US consumers don't eat their greens

A new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds only one in ten American adults eat enough fruits or vegetables.

Federal guidelines recommend at least one and a half cups of fruit per day, and two to three cups of vegetables.

Yet in 2015, just 12 per cent of adults met the recommendation for fruits, and only 9 per cent met the recommendation for vegetables, according to a study published last week in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Consumption rates were lowest in West Virginia, while Alaska and Washington DC saw the highest numbers.

The report also indicated that consumption was lower among men, young adults, and those living in poverty.

'This report highlights that very few Americans eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables every day, putting them at risk for chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease,' said the CDC's Seung Hee Lee Kwan, lead author of the study.

Missing out on the vitamins, minerals, and fibre that fruits and vegetables provide could put adults at higher risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, the CDC said.

The findings indicate a need to identify and address barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption, the CDC added. Previous studies have found that high cost, limited availability and access, and perceived lack of cooking/preparation time can be barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption.