WASHINGTON,
According
to the just released report "Dole's Fruit and Vegetable Update:
What America's Children Are Eating," children, ages six to 12,
are eating far too much fat and sweets and only one half of the
recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. An analysis
of data from a recent national survey shows that children eat
only 2.4 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Even though
the Food Guide Pyramid suggests eating fats and sweets sparingly,
the data also shows that children are consuming more than three
servings of these foods daily from french fries, sweets, desserts,
potato chips, salty snacks, candy and soft drinks.
"Dole's
Fruit and Vegetable Update: What America's Children Are Eating"
was released during today's government hearing on the U.S. Dietary
Guidelines. Speaking on behalf of Dole Food Company, Health and
Nutrition Director Dr. Lorelei DiSogra testified before the Committee,
urging for a stronger and more prominent fruit and vegetable recommendation
in the Year 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans to be released
at the end of the year. DiSogra emphasized that there is overwhelming
scientific-evidence on the relationship between eating 5-9 servings
of fruits and vegetables a day with good health and the reduction
of chronic disease.
"The state of our children's nutrition is appalling and clearly
not conducive to good health," DiSogra said to the Committee.
"Children's diets are exploding with fats and sweets, at the expense
of fruits and vegetables." "Dole's Fruit and Vegetable Update:
What America's Children Are Eating" Here are some alarming statistics
from Dole's findings: Breakfast -- Children are eating a total
of less than one half of a serving of fruit, 100 percent juice
and/or vegetables. -- Only 50 percent of children drink 100 percent
fruit juice at breakfast; orange juice is the most frequently
consumed juice. -- Only 23 percent of children eat fruit at breakfast;
bananas, oranges and apples are the most frequently consumed.
Lunch -- Children are eating a total of less than one serving
of fruit, 100 percent juice and/or vegetables at lunch. -- Only
7.5 percent of all food eaten at lunch are vegetables (a); the
most frequently eaten vegetables are potatoes, lettuce, corn,
green beans and carrots. -- Children are twice as likely to eat
French fries than any individual vegetable. -- Although more fruit
is consumed at lunch than any other meal, only 8 percent of all
foods eaten are fruit, and apples are the most frequently eaten
fruit. Snacks -- Children are eating a total of less than one
third of a serving of fruit, 100 percentjuice and/or vegetables
as snacks a day. -- More than 50 percent of all snacks eaten by
children are cookies, desserts, potato chips, other salty snacks,
candy and gum.
Only
16 percent of all snacks eaten by children are fruit; apples and
bananas are the most frequently consumed fruit snack. -- Only
1 percent of all snacks eaten by children are vegetables; raw
carrots are the most frequently consumed vegetable snack. -- Children
are five times more likely to have a carbonated soft drink or
a fruit drink than 100 percent fruit juice for a snack. Dinner
-- Children are only eating a total of one serving of fruit, 100
percent juice and/or vegetables at dinner. -- More vegetables
are consumed at dinner than at any other meal; however, vegetables
only make up less than 25 percent of all foods eaten at dinner.
-- Children eat very few nutrient-dense, dark green leafy or yellow-orange
vegetables. Potatoes are one third of all vegetables consumed
at dinner, followed by green beans and corn.
Children
seldom eat fruit for dessert; fruit only makes up 3 percent of
all foods eaten at dinner. (a) -- Excludes french fries Clearly
more needs to be done to encourage children to double their fruit
and vegetable consumption throughout the day. "The new dietary
guidelines must strongly direct all Americans toward foods that
will help children of this century live through the next century,"
stated DiSogra. "Fruits and vegetables should be the center of
the plate and at least one-third of all foods eaten during the
day." The Year 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans will determine
the direction for nutrition policy and education for the next
century.
The
Dietary Guidelines will provide a framework for all federal food
and nutrition programs, such as the National School Lunch Program,
as well as nutrition education recommendations, including the
Food Guide Pyramid. Dole Food Company is a founding member of
the national 5 A Day for Better Health Program, launched in 1991
by the National Cancer Institute and Produce for Better Health
Foundation to encourage Americans to eat five to nine servings
of fruits and vegetables a day. ------ A four-color infographic
of children's actual food consumption is available free of charge
for unlimited editorial use.
The
graphic can be sent via e-mail or on disk. What America's Children
Are Eating analyzed 1997 data from MRCA Information Services.
MRCA monitors food and beverage consumption among all members
of 2,000 scientifically selected households each year, representing
4,700 individuals.
Next
Update