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Half of US kids not eating daily vegetable: survey
Eat your vegetables.
A national survey published on Thursday suggests that American kids are not eating enough of them daily.
Fruit either.
About half (49.1 percent) of the 18,300 children aged 1-5 years surveyed did not eat a daily vegetable during the preceding week.
And 32.1 percent did not eat a daily fruit, according to the 2021 National Survey of Children's Health conducted by the US Census Bureau.
More than one-half (57.1 percent) of the children surveyed drank a sugar-sweetened beverage at least once during the preceding week.
The results varied from state to state.
In Vermont, for example, 30.4 percent of children did not eat a daily vegetable during the preceding week compared with 64.3 percent in Louisiana.
The percentage of children who did not eat a daily fruit or vegetable was highest among Black children and lowest among non-Hispanic white children, the survey found.
Nearly 65 percent of Black children surveyed did not eat a daily vegetable during the preceding week compared with 43.4 percent of white children.
As for fruit, 50.7 percent of Black children did not eat a daily fruit during the preceding compared with 26.1 percent of white children.
The survey's authors noted that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides the nutrients needed to support optimal growth and development among young children.
And added sugars such as those found in sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with increased risk of obesity, cavities, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
© 2023 AFP
