According to an official report, half of American children under the age of five do not eat a single vegetable a day.
A third also does not eat a piece of fruit a day, but almost three out of five drink a sugary drink at least once a week.
The shocking statistics about the nutritional status of the youngest Americans were revealed in a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Children should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, which contain a host of vitamins and nutrients essential for new bone and tissue growth, brain development and maintaining a healthy weight.
It comes after the CDC warned that rates of type 2 diabetes in children under the age of 20 could rise by as much as 700 percent over the next four decades.
Half of American children under the age of five don’t eat any vegetables every day, while a third don’t eat a piece of fruit every 24 hours (stock photo)
For the analysis, the scientists examined questionnaires filled in by the parents of more than 18,000 children aged one to five years.
The parents were asked about their children’s diet the week before.
The study will be completed in 2021 as part of the National Child Health Survey.
The CDC noted, “Young children need specific nutrients to support their optimal growth and development. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help you absorb these nutrients.
“Limiting or reducing foods and beverages with higher levels of added sugar, including sugar-sweetened beverages, is important because added sugar is associated with an increased risk of obesity, dental caries, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.”
Broken down by state, the results showed that in 20 states — two-fifths — more than half of children eat no vegetables a day.
Louisiana was at the bottom of the list for vegetables, with 64 percent of children under the age of 5 not eating at least one vegetable a day.
Oklahoma (57.5 percent), Alabama (57.3 percent), New Jersey (57.1 percent) and Rhode Island (56.2 percent) rounded out the bottom five in this category.
Louisiana also ranks last in the state for fruit, with the majority of children admitting to not eating fruit at least once a day.
Louisiana came in last again (49.9 percent). It was followed by Mississippi (47.3 percent), Indiana (43.1 percent), Kentucky (42.7 percent) and New Mexico (41.1 percent).
But in 40 states — four-fifths — more than half of children had a sugar-sweetened soda at least once in the past week.
Mississippi landed at the bottom, with nearly four in five children (79.3 percent) drinking a sugar-sweetened beverage at least once a week.
The charts above show the percentage of children aged one to five who do not eat at least one vegetable per day (left) and the percentage who drink at least one sugary drink per week (right).
The CDC was forced to expand the BMI scale for children because so many were “off the charts” fat
About 4.5 million children – or 6 percent – fall into the fattest category, a number that has nearly quadrupled in recent decades.
At the other end of the scale were Vermont, where 30.4 percent of children did not eat vegetables every day, and Maine, where 38.8 percent of children drank a sugary drink at least once a week.
Overall, children were most likely to eat at least one fruit or vegetable per day when they were one year old, while older children were less likely to do so.
The youngest children were also the least likely to consume a sugary drink at least once a week.
By ethnic group, black children were the most likely to receive no fruit or vegetables per day, while white children were the least likely to receive this category.
The CDC called for more government action to address inequalities in access to food and ensure all children get their five a day.
They also called for more education about the benefits of eating fruit and vegetables and reducing the consumption of sugary drinks.
Doctors can also teach parents the importance of a balanced diet, they added.
They concluded: “With a renewed national focus on diet, hunger and health, and the call to improve food and nutrition security, these data provide information for decision makers and practitioners to ensure that young children have the chance to to have the healthiest possible start. “has.
“Overall, early childhood nutrition support programs and interventions can improve diet quality and support optimal growth and health.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
