U.S. DIET REPORT: VEGETABLES ARE LAGGING BUT FAT IS DOWN

WASHINGTON (FNS) -- While Americans are eating less fat, they're not all eating their vegetables, according to data from a survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

economics, commenting on preliminary data from the first year of the three-year survey.

However, Stauber added, "the data show that American diets are changing in content, variety and where the foods are bought and eaten."

The study showed that consumers in 1994 got 33% of their calories from fat, compared with 40% in the late 1970s.

Nevertheless, in 1994, two-thirds of Americans still ate more than the 30% limit recommended for fat calories and their total calorie intake was about 6% higher than 17 years ago.

Consumption of grain products, ranging from pastas to pizza, has increased 115% since the late 1970s. Snack food consumption also soared, by 200%.

The findings also indicated that half of the population reported eating no fruit daily. On the positive side, about 20% more fruit or fruit juice was consumed in 1994 than in the late 1970s. Milk consumption has decreased by 16% for children under five since the late 1970s, while consumption of soft drinks for the age group rose 23% and consumption of noncitrus juices jumped 300%.

Adults were greatly lacking in consumption of some of the nutrients recommended by the USDA, particularly iron, vitamin B6, calcium and vitamin E.