Kids tend to gravitate toward sugary foods. They don’t like to eat their vegetables, and sometimes, that may even pass over into adulthood.
Although we may not enjoy eating vegetables, we have to admit that they are good for us. If we don’t eat our vegetables, we may be missing out on vital vitamins and nutrients that our body needs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also brought out something alarming. They said that half of the children in the United States under five don’t eat any vegetables daily. One out of three don’t eat fruit daily, yet 60% enjoy sugary drinks.
The questionnaire went out from the CDC, asking parents of 18,000 children to complete about their child’s diet.
This survey was finished in 2021. The survey found that, in 20 states, over 50% of the children weren’t eating any vegetables daily. When you compare that to a survey from a few years prior, three-quarters of children between two and 19 ate fruit on any given day. 90% ate vegetables on any given day.
As children get older, they tend to eat fewer fruits. This was also something that increased as income increased.
In the years 2003 to 2010, children ate 67% more fruit. The report showed that the number of vegetables consumed did not change.
At the bottom of the list for eating vegetables is Louisiana. 64% of children in that state under five did not eat vegetables at least once per day.
Other states that were about 50% and toward the bottom included Oklahoma, Alabama, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.
30.4% of children ate daily vegetables in Vermont, putting them at the top of the list.
As far as fruits are concerned, Louisiana is again at the bottom with 49.9% of children not eating fruit on any given day. Other states include Mississippi, Indiana, Kentucky, and New Mexico.
Nationwide, 60% of children under five drink sugary drinks at least once per week. This was the highest in Mississippi, at 79.3% and lowest in Maine, at 38.8%.
The CDC said: “Young children need specific nutrients to support their optimal growth and development. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help provide these nutrients.”
They went on to say that limiting foods and providing more foods with higher sugars could increase the risk of obesity, tooth decay, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Children who were only one year old were more likely to eat fruits and vegetables daily compared to older children. Younger children were also less likely to drink sugary drinks.