Kids aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables, and when they do consume produce, they are more likely to eat French fries than nutrient-rich dark green or orange vegetables, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Researchers at Ohio State University analyzed government data on 6500 children and teens, ages 2-18, and found that the children were consuming an average of two cups of fruits, vegetables and juice a day. Teens ate only slightly more than that. French fries are the most common type of vegetable children eat, accounting for about one-quarter of children’s vegetable intake. Juice also makes up about 40% of kids’ fruit intake.
—USA Today, 3/3/09