Poll Watch: American Eating Habits Worsen - Produce Consumption Down

According to the lastest Gallup Poll.

Americans' Healthy Behaviors Index score was 63.8 in May, down from 65.2 in the same month last year. Adults' health habits have been worse in each of the past three months compared with the same months in 2010.

Gallup and Healthways ask at least 1,000 Americans each day about their health behaviors. Specifically, respondents are asked to report on whether they smoke, on how many days in the last week they exercised for at least 30 minutes, if they ate healthy all day "yesterday," and on how many days they consumed five or more servings of fruits and vegetables in the last seven days.

Americans' eating habits are the culprit in the lower Healthy Behaviors Index score. Fewer Americans reported eating healthily in May this year than did so last year, 66.2 vs. 68.2. Similarly, Americans are not eating as many fruits and vegetables on a weekly basis as they did last year. These data reveal that about 4.5 million fewer American adults ate healthy in May this year than did in the same month one year ago.

The healthy behaviors graph:

Frequent fruit and vegetable consumption has decreased across various demographic groups.

The graph:

So, what does this all mean?

Americans need to make better food choices and adopt healthier eating by consuming MORE fruits and vegetables. And, a little more exercise wouldn't hurt.