A new CDC analysis highlights a sharp decline in fruit intake among U.S. teenagers, prompting calls for improved parental strategies to maintain healthy eating habits during adolescence.
U.S. teenagers are far less likely than younger children to eat fruit on a typical day, according to a new CDC report that suggests produce habits often weaken as children grow more independent. The National Centre for Health Statistics found that 66.2% of adolescents aged 12 to 19 ate any fruit on a given day, compared with 83.3% of children aged 6 to 11 and 91.8% of those aged 2 to 5. Across all age groups, 77% ate fruit and 91.2% ate some form of vegetable.
The analysis, based on 24-hour dietary recalls from 1,765 children and teenagers surveyed between August 2021 and August 2023, found that every fruit category became less common with age. Citrus fruit, melons and berries were eaten by 53.9% of preschool children but only 25.3% of teenagers, while whole fruit and 100% fruit juice also declined. Vegetables looked different: overall intake stayed close to 91% across ages, and dark green vegetables became modestly more common among older children, rising from 19.8% in preschoolers to 27.3% in teens.
The CDC says fruits and vegetables remain important because they provide vitamins, minerals and fibre needed for growth and development. Its guidance for young children encourages a varied mix of colourful produce so families can cover a broader range of nutrients. The findings also echo earlier CDC work showing that many young children, including those aged 1 to 5, still do not eat fruit and vegetables every day.
The report is a snapshot rather than a long-term study, so it cannot prove that individual children eat less fruit as they age. It also does not show how much they ate, only whether they had any on the recall day. Even so, the pattern offers practical advice for parents: keep ready-to-eat fruit visible, choose portable options for school bags and sports kits, and involve teenagers in picking fruit they actually want to eat.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
