The Burden of Obesity in The Burden of Obesity in North CarolinaNorth Carolina

Unhealthy EatingUnhealthy Eating

Recommendation for Fruits & Recommendation for Fruits & Vegetables Vegetables

Boys and girls ages Boys and girls ages 4-8 need 3 to 4 cups 4-8 need 3 to 4 cups of fruits and of fruits and vegetables a day, vegetables a day, with 1½ cups coming with 1½ cups coming from fruit and the rest from fruit and the rest from vegetables.from vegetables.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Unhealthy Eating in U.S. ChildrenUnhealthy Eating in U.S. Children

On average, children ages 6-11 ate a On average, children ages 6-11 ate a combined average of less than 3½ combined average of less than 3½ servings of vegetables and fruits daily. servings of vegetables and fruits daily.

Overall, only one in five children met the Overall, only one in five children met the recommended minimum goal of five recommended minimum goal of five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

Unhealthy EatingUnhealthy Eating Nationally, children ages Nationally, children ages

6-11 ate two vegetable 6-11 ate two vegetable servings per day:servings per day:

5% dark green vegetables5% dark green vegetables 5% deep yellow vegetables5% deep yellow vegetables 23% tomatoes23% tomatoes 43% white potatoes43% white potatoes

Children’s intakes of dark Children’s intakes of dark green and orange green and orange vegetables should almost vegetables should almost triple and their potato triple and their potato consumption should be consumption should be cut in half.cut in half.

U.S. Adults Who ConsumedU.S. Adults Who Consumed ≥2 Fruits & ≥3 Vegetables (2007) ≥2 Fruits & ≥3 Vegetables (2007)

Most Commonly Consumed Foods Most Commonly Consumed Foods for U.S. Children, Ages 2-5for U.S. Children, Ages 2-5Percentage of Most Commonly Consumed Foods Among Children,

Age 2-5 years old (2004)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Perc

ent o

f co

nsum

ers

2-3 year-olds 91% 81% 72% 71% 47% 42% 32% 30% 28% 28%

4-5 year-olds 93% 86% 79% 72% 41% 46% 33% 25% 28% 19%

Milk Bread Soft Drinks Cereal Juice Cookies French

FriesBanana

Peanut Butter

Macaroni and Cheese

McConahy, K.L., Smicklas-Wright, H., Mitchell, D.C., and M.F. Picciano. (2004). ‘Portion Size of Common Foods Predicts Energy Intake among Preschool-Aged Children.’ American Dietetic Association 104: 975-979.

N.C. Students & Vending MachinesN.C. Students & Vending Machines

Percentage of NC Students who bought food or drinks from vending machines at school one or more times during the

past seven days (2007)

37%49%46%

53%

38%49%

36%

0

20

40

60

80

100

6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th

Per

cen

tag

e o

f S

tud

ents

Source: North Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. (2007).

Fast Food in AmericaFast Food in America

Every day, one-in-four Every day, one-in-four Americans eats a Americans eats a fast-food mealfast-food meal

The number of fast The number of fast food establishments food establishments in the country has in the country has increased from increased from 70,000 in 1970 to 70,000 in 1970 to almost 200,000 in almost 200,000 in 2002.2002.

Unhealthy Eating & N.C. ChildrenUnhealthy Eating & N.C. Children

82% of high school students ate fewer 82% of high school students ate fewer than five servings of fruits and vegetables than five servings of fruits and vegetables daily in the seven days prior to the survey. daily in the seven days prior to the survey.

75% of children, ages 5-17, ate less than 75% of children, ages 5-17, ate less than the recommended three servings of the recommended three servings of vegetables on a typical day vegetables on a typical day 43% ate less than the recommended two 43% ate less than the recommended two

servings of fruit.servings of fruit.

N.C. Students and Fruits and N.C. Students and Fruits and Vegetables Vegetables

Source: North Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. (2007).

Percentage of N.C. High School Students Who Ate Fruits and Vegetables 5+ Times per Day

During the Past 7 Days (2007)

13%18%18%

12%15%15%15%14%15%15%

0

10

20

30

40

50

Total

Male

Female 9th

10th 11th 12thBlac

k

Hispan

ic/Lati

noW

hitePerc

enta

ge o

f N.C

. Stu

dent

s

N.C. Children and Youth’s Daily N.C. Children and Youth’s Daily Healthy Eating BehaviorsHealthy Eating Behaviors

Percentage of NC Children and Youth who engage in Healthy Eating Behaviors on a Typical Day (2006)

5%

60%

34%27%

34%31%

0

20

40

60

80

100

3+ Fruits/day 1 Serving FruitJuice/day

3+Vegetables/day

No French Friesor Chips/day

2+ ServingsMilk/day

No Fast Food/week

Per

cen

tag

e o

f Ch

ildre

n

Source: North Carolina Child Health Assessment and Monitoring Program Data, North Carolina Center for Health Statistics, [2006].