Trends in Daily Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Young Children in the United States,2021-2023

Abstract

At the national and state levels, data on changes over time in fruit and vegetable intake among young children are limited. Using nationally representative data from the National Survey of Children’s Health during 2021-2023, we examined trends in daily fruit and vegetable intake among children aged 1 to 5 years. We conducted trend analyses nationally, by age, and by state. We found no significant linear trends in daily fruit or vegetable intake at the national level or by age. At the state level, fruit intake increased significantly from 2021 to 2023 in Connecticut (from 65.8% to 77.2%; P = .049), Illinois (from 68.5% to 77.8%; P = .03), and Montana (from 66.1% to 81.0%; P = .01) and decreased significantly in Massachusetts (from 82.2% to 65.0%; P = .001); no state had significant changes in daily vegetable intake. Lack of improvement in daily fruit and vegetable intake among young children emphasizes the continued need for monitoring and evidence-based interventions.