The proportion of fruit is only slightly better, with one in three young children (32%) not eating at least one a day. These estimates come from a questionnaire sent between June 2021 and January 2022 to the parents of around 18,300 children aged 1 to 5. They were issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the country’s main federal health agency.
This study also shows that 57% of children drank a sugary drink at least once during the week preceding the survey. The CDC notes that young children need certain nutrients to grow, which can be provided by fruits and vegetables. And added sugars are associated with an increased risk of obesity, dental cavities, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The study also revealed significant disparities between states: in Vermont, only 30% of children aged 1 to 5 had not eaten at least one vegetable a day in the previous week, compared to nearly 65 % in Louisiana, which is predominantly a minority population. . The percentage of children not eating one vegetable and one fruit per day was also higher among black children than among white children and among children living in poorer households with little food. It also found that one-year-olds were more likely than slightly older children to eat one vegetable and one fruit per day.
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