Recommended Vegetable Intake for Teens

According to an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 2% of high school students in the U.S. are meeting the recommended vegetable intake (2.5–3 cups per day). Intake was low across the board (among boys and girls and white, Black and Hispanic teens).

In more findings that may ring true to parents, just 7.1% of the 13,354 high school students in 33 states involved in the Youth Risk Behavior Surveys were eating the recommended servings of fruit in 2017, down from 8.5% in 2013. The findings aren’t necessarily surprising, but they are certainly discouraging as health organizations and parents keep struggling to find effective ways to get teens to eat better.

See also: Fresh Food and Vegetables Appear in Schools