Bummer news about American teenagers’ diets. New data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention reports that adolescents across demographic groups eat too few fruits and vegetables, continuing trends from previous years. Only 7.1 percent ate the recommended amount of fruits, and 2 percent ate enough vegetables. How much teens should be eating daily varies by age and gender: 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 to 3 cups of veggies. The CDC report suggests some ideas for increasing the appeal of better nutrition, including social media approaches and expanding existing school and community programs. Parents can also help, as modeling good eating behavior can be an effective way to encourage better nutrition. Visit
cdc.gov for more info.