America’s Veggie Aversion: Why We Don’t Eat Enough of What We Should

Since 2000, the U.S. government has been trying to get Americans to eat their fruits and vegetables, but its effort has largely failed.

Despite a decade of public health initiatives, easier to understand dietary guidelines, record growth of farmers markets and the ease of prepackaged products like baby carrots, presliced apples and salad in a bag — and even with First Lady Michelle Obama’s setting an example with a White House garden — Americans still aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables.

This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its updated State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, showing most American adults are eating fruit about 1.1 times a day and vegetables 1.6 times a day, a far cry from its modest goal of getting us to filling half our plate with produce.

Even though research clearly shows diets high in fruits and vegetables helps control and manage a healthy weight, lowers the onset of chronic diseases such as stroke, heart disease, some cancers and type II diabetes, and that fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other substances that are important for good health, Americans of all ages still prefer bacon to green salad, a trend unchanged since 1988.

The problem is not awareness, according to the CDC report. In 1991, only 8 percent of U.S. adults reported being aware that at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily were recommended for good health. By 2004, that number had jumped to 40 percent, but increased awareness has not translated into changed behavior.

Perhaps more disheartening, the report shows kids are eating fewer fruits and vegetables than adults. Is yet another generation of Americans doomed to grow up nutritionally challenged, fatter and more chronically sick than their parents?

Chef Allison Stevens, a Registered Dietitian and founder of gluten-free meal planning website, PrepDish.com and a personal chef company PrepDishPersonal.com based in Austin, Texas, believes Americans’ veggie aversion has a lot to do with our environment.

She says the few pro-fruit and veggie messages Americans hear are simply no match for the barrage of advertising by fast food, beverage and candy companies bombarding us daily.

“Choosing vegetables has to be a thoughtful, conscious decision. That choice is not typically for instant gratification, but knowing that a decision to eat vegetables now will make me feel better later — in an hour, as well as in the years to come.”

But in the moment, what makes someone reach for fresh produce or a bag of chips? Stevens says Americans are still being seduced by salty, carby, fat-laden processed foods that might taste good, are relatively cheap and easily accessible.

According to the CDC report, it also matters where you live.

Two states, Oregon and California ranked highest in national consumption rates (more than 1.8 servings daily) and ranked above the national score on access to retailers of healthier food, farmers market density and farmers market acceptance of nutrition assistance program benefits.

But the news isn’t all good for Oregon and California. Even these states fall far short of the goal set by the government in its ’Healthy People 2010’ objectives. And it goes dramatically downhill from here.

States that consume the least fruits and veggies (less than 1.5 daily) include North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Louisiana and Mississippi, CDC reported.

Studies show there are many factors that keep people from eating ample fruit and veggies, including the "gag reflex".

On an online message board, a person who identifies himself or herself as Rudy M. wrote:

“With few exceptions (corn, lettuce, raw carrots), I hate vegetables. I'm serious; I literally gag when I eat many of them (Brussels sprouts and cooked carrots, never again!). I'm in my early twenties. I'm assuming that eventually I will start eating them (I do not know of any adults who refuse to eat their veggies and I'm sure I'll fall in line eventually), but the fact is I cannot right now.”

Do kids learn to dislike, or even loathe, eating greens, yellows and reds, or is it genetic? Do parents’ likes and dislikes taint their child’s eating habits for a lifetime?

Two interesting studies lend insight to these questions.

The first, a small 2006 U.K. study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior found that whether or not a child likes fruits and vegetables is influenced somewhat by genetics. But the findings placed a greater significance on the role of parents and caregivers in ensuring their children develop a taste for healthy foods early on.

The second, a 2013 Stanford University study, found teaching preschoolers through simple storybooks about the importance of eating healthy foods and why our bodies need a variety of foods, drives kids to voluntarily eat more vegetables.

Researchers Sarah Gripshover and Ellen Markman showed that even very young children are capable of understanding a conceptual approach to nutrition and have a natural curiosity of how things work, according to the study published in the journal Psychological Science.

"This is great news for parents. It means that you can help to positively influence your child's diet by providing a healthy eating environment,” Steven said.

“Essentially, although children may not initially like the taste of certain foods, when environmental factors are controlled, children can learn to like them anyway.”

She said that the most important thing a parent can do is set the example.

“Children love copying their parents’ actions. Don’t turn eating vegetables into a chore, instead, make it a commonplace habit that naturally and enjoyably happens at every meal,” she said.

Steven advised parents to get the kids involved in the process. Let them pick out vegetables to try at the grocery store. Or have kids participate in the cooking so they’ll be invested in the resulting dish and, don’t let the doldrums get in the way of eating healthier foods.

“Continue to experiment with new recipes,” said Stevens.

“Just because you didn’t like broccoli boiled, doesn’t mean you won’t like it sautéed. My trick for yummy vegetables is roasting. It brings out a natural sweetness in the veggies better than other cooking methods.”

Simply toss with a small amount of olive oil and roast at 425-degrees F for 20-40 minutes. The time varies greatly depending on the vegetable and the size of the cut so you may need to experiment a few times to get it just right. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Also, don’t forget to try veggies raw, Stevens said. This is a great no-prep method and one that often gets overlooked in the kitchen.

“Raw veggies appeal to kids since they’re crisp and crunchy.”

Lynette Summerill is an award-winning writer and Scuba enthusiast who lives in San Diego with her husband and two beach loving dogs. In addition to writing about cancer-related issues for EmpowHER, her work has been seen in publications internationally.

Sources:

Interview. Chef Allison Stevens MS, RD, LD. Sept. 6, 2013. And Nature vs. Nurture: Are Kids Born to Love or Hate their Fruits and Vegetables? The Diet Channel.com
http://www.thedietchannel.com/Nature-vs-Nurture-Are-Kids-Born-To-Love-Or-Hate-Their-Fruits-and-Vegetables.htm

Kids eat more vegetables after nutrition lessons, Stanford Study finds. Brooke Donald, Stanford Report 3 July 2013.
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/july/kids-healthy-eating-070313.html

“Teaching Young Children a Theory of Nutrition: Conceptual Change and the Potential for Increased Vegetable Consumption.” S. Gripshover, E. Markman. Psychological Science 0956797612474827, first published on June 26, 2013. Requires subscription.
http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/06/26/0956797612474827.full

The State Indicator of Fruits and Vegetables, 2013. U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/downloads/State-Indicator-Report-Fruits-Vegetables-2013.pdf

Nutrition for everyone. CDC. Accessed 9 September 2013
http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/fruitsvegetables

FM Breen, R Plomin, J Wardle. “Heritability of food preferences in young children. Physiology & Behavior. 2006 July 30; 88(4-5): 443-7.
Abstract at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16750228

No Veggies, Healthy eating? My Fitness Pal, Message Board.
https://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/990590-no-veggies-healthy-eating

Reviewed September 9, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

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