CDC sets goal to increase fruit and vegetable consumption for Americans

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has released the findings of their first study on how many fruits and vegetables Americans are eating within each state. The CDC's focus on preventative health care rides on the coat tails of research these last few years that points to the overwhelming advantages of a fresh, balanced diet. The research summary for this report states, "Fruits and vegetables are important for optimal child growth, weight management, and chronic disease prevention."
The research is accompanied by a nationwide program to improve the diets of Americans. This program is set to be released next month as the Healthy People 2010 system. It includes sharing information and recipes for preparing fruits and vegetables as they arrive in season to stores and farmer's markets. The CDC is incorporating the involvement of state officials, health professionals, employers, retail owners, farmers, school staff, and community members increase outreach and make this program a success.
Healthy People 2010 hopes to increase fruit consumption by Americans by 75% and vegetable consumption by 50%. Oregonians needed a little more improvement in their diets. Only 25 -29% of our state's residents ate vegetables three or more times a day while 30 -34% ate fruit two or more times a day.
The CDC has a user friendly web site designed to encourage the average citizen to get more involved in their dietary choices. The site includes a short quiz to determine how many fruits and vegetables are needed daily for various body types, budget tips, recipes and a fruit and veggie of the month calendar. Clicking on the tab marked interactive tools brings the viewer to a program that analyzes the meal choices that the viewer enters with a simple drag and click of the mouse. Healthy People 2010 is cosponsored by the National Cancer Institute, USDA, FDA, American Cancer Society, and the National Council for Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Coordinators.