Ninety percent of Americans do not eat the recommended daily servings of vegetables. Eighty percent do not eat the recommended daily servings of fruits. Over the past thirty years, the percentage of Americans who consume the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables has declined, despite ongoing, high-profile public health campaigns and consumer education.
The direct correlation between low consumption of fruits and vegetables and reduced health is both well-researched and tragic. Incidences of heart disease … diabetes … cancer … and stroke can all be lowered by eating more fruits and vegetables.
Ninety percent of Americans do not eat the recommended daily servings of vegetables. Eighty percent do not eat the recommended daily servings of fruits. Over the past thirty years, the percentage of Americans who consume the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables has declined, despite ongoing, high-profile public health campaigns and consumer education.
The direct correlation between low consumption of fruits and vegetables and reduced health is both well-researched and tragic. Incidences of heart disease … diabetes … cancer … and stroke can all be lowered by eating more fruits and vegetables.
To stop further decline in fruit and vegetable consumption and potentially reverse the trend, the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) is responding with intention and urgency to this public health crisis.
We recognize we cannot continue to implement the same strategies in the same ways in the hope of achieving a different outcome. We must engage in divergent thinking, examining this crisis from all angles, and open our minds to all ideas and possible solutions.
The following CHECKLIST FOR CHANGE will help our Association and members undertake this call to action.
RECOGNIZE. Human behavior is complex and often unpredictable. Motivation can come from many sources and incremental increases in fruit and vegetable intake should be encouraged, recognized, and celebrated.
PRIORITIZE. We must make equity, practicality, and sustainability the most important actions of our work.
INNOVATE. We need to think creatively about our programs and partners, improving and expanding upon our processes and approaches to advance fruit and vegetable consumption.
COMBINE. We must challenge ourselves to bring together two or more effective strategies that address consumers’ access, desire, knowledge, and skills when purchasing, preparing, and enjoying fruits and vegetables.
COLLABORATE. This endeavor cannot be done alone. Our field has always relied on collaboration for successful outcomes. We can expand on this strategy in the following ways:
The following CHECKLIST FOR CHANGE will help our Association and members undertake this call to action.
RECOGNIZE. Human behavior is complex and often unpredictable. Motivation can come from many sources and incremental increases in fruit and vegetable intake should be encouraged, recognized, and celebrated.
PRIORITIZE. We must make equity, practicality, and sustainability the most important actions of our work.
INNOVATE. We need to think creatively about our programs and partners, improving and expanding upon our processes and approaches to advance fruit and vegetable consumption.
COMBINE. We must challenge ourselves to bring together two or more effective strategies that address consumers’ access, desire, knowledge, and skills when purchasing, preparing, and enjoying fruits and vegetables.
COLLABORATE. This endeavor cannot be done alone. Our field has always relied on collaboration for successful outcomes. We can expand on this strategy in the following ways:
This Call To Action is an open invitation to everyone who cares about this issue. We urge you to pull up a seat at the table with an open mind and a healthy abundance of passion, energy, and resolve. We need your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, expertise, and success stories. We want your out-of-the-box thinking, your what-ifs and your why-nots.
If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and dig in, please review the options below and help us take the next steps. Whether you’re an individual or an organization, we can all make a difference if we come together.
We ask our Association members and all individuals who are interested in the issue of vegetable and fruit consumption to stand with us. Please share a few details through the form below in order to stay in touch and keep abreast of next steps.
ASPHN welcomes and needs our partners and other interested organizations to join our Call to Action. Please take a few minutes to voice your support by filling out the form below and tell us how your organization can help us make a difference in this endeavor.
Are you or your organization engaged in initiatives to increase vegetable and fruit consumption? Are you experiencing success through your programs? We want to hear from you. Please share a few details so that we can all learn more about what’s working.