While more Americans have taken to heart dietary recommendations to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, there is still room for improvement, according to an annual report issued by the American Heart Association (AHA).

Consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, lean meat, poultry and fish and lower in fat and sodium has been shown to significantly reduce a person's risk of developing heart disease.

In fact, the evidence is so strong that recent studies have suggested that individuals try to eat up to nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

About 19% of men reported eating the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables in 1996, the latest year for which data are available, compared with nearly 17% in 1990. Similarly more than 26% of women said they met the dietary recommendation in 1996 compared with just over 21% in the previous survey.

The percentage of obese adults who consumed the recommended number of servings of fruits and vegetables declined to about 15% from nearly 17% over the same period.

Elderly people, whites, individuals who exercised, college graduates and nonsmokers were the groups most likely to meet the AHA's recommended daily quota of fruits and vegetables.

Current data show that fruit and vegetable consumption predicts good health; it is not sufficient to substitute vitamin pills because there are probably many other micronutrients in fruits and vegetables that we don't know about.

Exactly why so many Americans are not eating recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables is not clear. Researchers blamed the "meat and potatoes" culture of the US that is enhanced by fast-food restaurants. Indeed, the study found that fat from pizza, Mexican food, hamburgers, Chinese food, French fries and cheeseburgers accounted for nearly 11% of Americans' total fat intake, compared with 2% in 1965.

Alternatively, many people do not know how to prepare vegetables, while others think fruits and vegetables are more expensive than other types of foods and do not known how to choose varieties that are in season.

American Heart Association's 2002 Heart and Stroke Statistical Update

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Let's be clear that the bulk of the benefit of "fruits and vegetables" are in the vegetables. Fruits could virtually be eliminated and we could still be quite healthy. However, fruits clearly are better choices than what most Americans are eating. Vegetables provide you with the good carbohydrates you need, but the amount of vegetables your body requires depends on your nutritional type. While we all need vegetables to stay healthy, the type and amount should be determined by what nutritional type you are. There is a basic test you can take to find out your metabolic type which is detailed in my new book, Dr. Mercola's Total Health Program. Carbohydrate nutritional types need far more vegetables in their diet than protein nutritional types. One of the easiest ways to fulfill your vegetable intake is through regularly consuming vegetable juice. The first link below shows one in 20 children in England did not eat ANY vegetables. That number by itself would not be so bad, but in the study corn was classified as a vegetable. The researchers goofed as it is a grain and has all the negative consequences of a grain. So with carrots and corn being the two most frequently consumed vegetables the numbers become significantly worse as it may be as low as one in three who are not getting any significant vegetables in their diet. Another study showed that potato chips and French fries made up over one-third of a child's diet. With vegetable intake like this it is easy to understand why so many kids are sick. The other sad aspect of the children's diet is the heavy orientation towards milk, juices and sodas as primary beverages. The juices and sodas are likely to be worse for most children, but the milk is not far behind. The selection of nearly all breakfast foods for kids is another nightmare that does not improve health and hurtles most kids towards a reliance on drugs and surgery as solutions for the inevitable health complications that result from choosing these types of foods. Related Articles: Fruit, Vegetable Consumption Protects Against Oral Precancerous Lesions in Smokers Just One Extra Serving of Vegetables Lowers Heart Disease High Fruit And Vegetable Intake Reduces Stroke Nutrients In Fruits And Vegetables Linked To Bone Health