The 2017 Community Health Status Survey (CHSS), funded by Interact for Health, has found that only 2 in 10 adults in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region (23 percent) eat the recommended daily amount of both fruits and vegetables.
Forty-two percent do NOT eat the recommended daily amount of both fruits and vegetables, nearly double the amount who do. The percentage of adults eating the recommended amount of both fruits and vegetables rose slightly from 2013 (18 percent) but is similar to 2010 (22 percent). Adults are more likely to eat the recommended daily amount of fruits (25 percent) than vegetables (11 percent).
Adults in Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties reported results similar to that of the region, with 23 percent reporting that they meet requirements for both fruits and vegetables (about the same as the 20 percent reporting this in 2013) and 42 percent reporting not meeting either one of the requirements (similar to the 44 percent reporting this in 2013).
Adults in Bracken, Carroll, Gallatin, Owen and Pendleton counties reported results similar to that of the region, with 20 percent reporting that they meet requirements for both fruits and vegetables (higher than in 2013 when 14 percent reported this). However, 48 percent reported NOT meeting EITHER requirement (an improvement since 2013 when 58 percent reported this).
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020, a joint project of the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS), recommends that each meal include half a plate of fruits and vegetables. That means adults would eat at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables per day (www.choosemyplate.gov).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who eat a healthy diet with generous amounts of fruits and vegetables have a reduced risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
Some groups more likely to eat fruits, vegetables
Fruit and vegetable consumption varies by income, race and sex.
“In our region, adults with higher incomes are more likely to eat a healthy diet,” says O’dell M. Owens, M.D., M.P.H., President/CEO of Interact for Health.
Twenty six percent of adults who earn more than 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG)* report eating the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables, compared to 18 percent of those earning 200% FPG or less. Likewise, African American adults (26 percent) are more likely than White adults (22 percent), and women (27 percent) are more likely than men (18 percent) to report this.
8 in 10 have healthy food in their neighborhoods
“To eat a healthy diet, it is crucial that people can buy healthy food such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat items without having to travel far,” explains Dr. Owens. A large majority of the region’s adults (80 percent) report that it is easy to buy healthy foods in their neighborhood. This is similar to 2013 (81 percent).
However, easy access to healthy food varies by region. Adults living in Hamilton County’s suburbs (85 percent) and Butler, Warren and Clinton counties (89 percent) are more likely than adults living in the City of Cincinnati (65 percent) and rural counties (in Kentucky, 66 percent; in Ohio, 75 percent; and in Indiana, 73 percent) to report that it is easy to buy healthy foods in their neighborhood. The results reported in Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties were about the same as the region overall (79 percent) and lower than in 2013 (was 87 percent). The results reported in Bracken, Carroll, Gallatin, Owen and Pendleton counties were lower than the region (66 percent) but similar to 2013 (69 percent).
Access to healthy food also varies by income and race
More than 8 in 10 adults (85 percent) earning more than 200% FPG report that it is easy to buy healthy foods in their neighborhood.
That compares with more than 7 in 10 adults (74 percent) living between 100% and 200% FPG and fewer than 7 in 10 adults (69 percent) earning 100% FPG or less. Similarly, slightly more than 6 in 10 African American adults (64 percent) report that it is easy to buy healthy food in their neighborhood, compared with more than 8 in 10 White adults (82 percent).
The 2017 Community Health Status Survey (CHSS) was conducted by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati for Interact for Health. A total of 4,261 randomly selected adults residing in eight Ohio counties, nine Kentucky counties, and five Indiana counties were interviewed by telephone between August 10, 2016, and March 8, 2017. This included 1,906 landline interviews and 2,355 cell phone interviews. The potential sampling error for the overall survey data is ±1.5%. For more information about the CHSS and a list of community partners, please visit the website.
*In 2015, 100% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines was $24,250 for a family of four; 200% FPG was $48,500.
