Healthy Eating: Turning Knowledge Into Action

3-minute read

Supporting employee well-being is a priority for high-performing organizations, but finding effective ways to deliver clear, lasting results is a challenge. Most people already know that a nutritious diet rich in vegetables and fruits is vital to good health. Then why do so few of us eat well?

Typical workplace nutrition programs offer complex data, heavy tracking requirements, and strategies that can hinder lasting success even for those eager to make healthy changes. Scientific evidence suggests the most successful approach is also the simplest — by emphasizing produce first.

Good nutrition fuels a healthier brain and body, equipping employees to feel their best and show up ready to do great work:

• Better mental health
• Improved well-being and vitality
• Increased ability to stick with positive changes
• Lower risk for costly chronic diseases.
  
  

Why Don’t We Eat Enough Produce?

Public campaigns and wellness programs routinely tout the benefits of more fruits and vegetables, but research reveals awareness rarely translates into action. Despite the widely publicized health benefits of a diet rich in colorful produce, Americans are actually eating less. Numbers like these underscore the need for a different approach:

• Socioeconomic barriers to adequate produce consumption are a reality for many families. In 2022, 12.8% (17 million) of US households experienced food insecurity.¹
• The 2020 State of the Plate report found our frequency of eating produce dropped by almost 10% in 2004-2020. Most Americans eat produce, but only once a day, if that.²
• Healthy People 2030 data reveals little to no improvement from 2017-2020 in the amount of fruits and vegetables American adults and children consumed.³
• No US state yet satisfies the Centers for Disease Control’s modest national objectives for fruit (75% of people eating 2+ servings/day) or vegetables (50% of people eating at least 3 servings/day). Only 1 in 10 US adults meets recommendations.⁴

The sheer volume of dietary information and program options is overwhelming. It’s easier for workers to tune out healthy eating strategies than to sort through countless, often contradictory choices. Employers promoting healthy eating need compelling messages to cut through the noise and inspire results.

Unscrambling all the data with a clear point like produce first is a crucial link that helps transform knowledge into action.

Current Median Daily Intake of Fruits and Vegetables in the US

What Makes a Difference?

The 2020 State of the Plate Report asked respondents to rank barriers to eating produce as well as motivating factors. Results inform practical strategies that support a higher level of fruit and vegetable consumption.

Top barriers included:

• Needing new menu ideas
• Budget constraints
• Planning healthful meals
• Accessing meals quickly.

Top motivators included:

• Quick/easy to make
• Nutritious choice
• Items on hand
• Favorite food.

The common theme from this survey is convenience matters. When choosing produce is easy and affordable — and meal prep is quick and simple — people are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables. Offer convenient options like these – with discounts or subsidies, if possible:

• Weekly Consumer-Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce delivery for onsite and remote workers
• Weekly or biweekly onsite farmers’ market
• Produce-rich meals in the cafeteria plus grab and go to take home
• Fruit and vegetable vending options
• Produce snacks at meetings and conferences
• Easy produce-based recipes and sample meal plans.

Produce first is a strong approach to help people make lasting nutrition changes that improve well-being, performance, and quality of life. For more insights and ideas, read Produce First: A Compelling Case for Simplicity.

¹ USDA Economic Research Service, Food Security in the US, Key Statistics and Graphics, accessed Dec. 5, 2023, https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-u-s/key-statistics-graphics/#foodsecure

² Produce for Better Health Foundation, State of the Plate Executive Summary 2020, https://fruitsandveggies.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2020-PBH-State-Of-The-Plate-Executive-Summary-1.pdf

³ Healthy People 2030, Nutrition and Healthy Eating, Overview and Objectives, retrieved Dec. 5, 2023

⁴ Lee SH, Moore LV, Park S, Harris DM, Blanck HM. Adults Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Intake Recommendations — United States, 2019, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2022;71:1–9. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7101a1