Fruit And Vegetable Consumption Is Low Among Black Men, USA

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 04 Aug 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Despite efforts to stress the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, daily consumption of these foods among men remains low, particularly among black men, according to researchers at Columbia and Temple universities, the University of Pennsylvania and the National Cancer Institute.

In a study of 490 American and foreign-born black men between ages 45 and 70, the researchers found the men ate an average of three servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend men eat nine servings per day. The researchers also found 94 percent of the participants in the study were not aware of the recommendations.

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been shown to lower risk for chronic illness. Compared with other racial groups, black men have higher incidence and mortality rates for many diet-related diseases, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers.

According to the researchers, the study suggests significant efforts will be needed to help black men, particularly immigrant black men, to realize the importance of increasing their fruit and vegetable consumption. "The lack of awareness of the current dietary recommendations related to fruits and vegetables is alarming and implores health experts to rethink how messages about diet and nutrition can reach this population," the researchers write.

Additional research articles in the August Journal of the American Dietetic Association include:

- Data from a Validation Study of Reporting Accuracy over Multiple Recalls, and School Foodservice Production Records Provide Insight into the Origins of Intrusions (Reports of Uneaten Items) in Children's Dietary Recalls

- Comparison of Baseline Dietary Intake of Hispanic and Matched Non-Hispanic White Breast Cancer Survivors Enrolled in the Women's Healthy Eating And Living (WHEL) Study

The Journal of the American Dietetic Association is the official research publication of the American Dietetic Association and is the premier peer-reviewed journal in the field of nutrition and dietetics. Conclusions of research studies do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the American Dietetic Association, and ADA does not assume responsibility for opinions expressed by authors of Journal articles.

The American Dietetic Association is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.

To locate a registered dietitian in your area, visit the American Dietetic Association at http://www.eatright.org.

American Dietetic Association