A recent study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that American kids prefer apples to other fruits. The health institution used this finding as a reference for additional studies to explain children’s preferences for fruits.
Health campaigns have started to pay off as many more children include fruits in their daily diets. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention wanted to determine the factors that have led to this behavioral change because they think they could be of use for future campaigns.
For the current research, medical experts have analyzed the data collected during the 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The database consisted of more than 3000 answers provided by children in relation to their food preferences.
Statistics have shown that most children prefer apples, bananas and fruit juices. These represent almost 50 percent of children’s daily fruit intake. Another good news is that young Americans have 1.25 fruit servings per day, a significant increase compared to the previous years where children did not observe standard recommendation of 1-2 servings per day.
The analysis of the data included in the survey has further revealed that children prefer apples because they are sweet and juicy. Moreover, these fruits are easy to eat and to carry in the bag when children go to school.
Figures have further indicated that 53 percent children prefer to eat the whole fruit, whereas 34 percent eat only parts of apples or sweetened fruit juices. Experts recommend parents to encourage children to eat whole fruits because they have many more vitamins and nutrients. When consumed with other ingredients, fruits lose their healthy properties and the effects are hardly visible.
Overall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been very pleased with the results of their new study. It proves that children’s diet has been improved, but there is still room for more. In their opinion, parents should be encouraged to explain children the benefits of fruits.
Health institution may incorporate some of the recent findings in the future social campaigns they will organize. They think food chains should provide attractive and practical packages for fruits, so children could easily pack them in their school bags.
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