Which age group consumes the fewer fruits and vegetables?

January 4, 2026 •

4 min read

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adolescents and young adults consistently consume fewer fruits and vegetables than other age groups. This deficit is a significant public health concern, as inadequate intake during these formative years can establish poor dietary habits and increase chronic disease risks later in life.

Quick Summary

Adolescents and young adults consume the lowest levels of fruits and vegetables, driven by factors like increasing dietary independence, limited financial resources, and preferences for convenient, unhealthy foods. Consumption trends show a decline from childhood, with young adults aged 18–24 often showing the poorest intake patterns overall.

Key Points

Peak Decline in Youth: Fruit and vegetable intake sees its most significant drop-off during adolescence and persists into young adulthood.
Young Adults Eat Fewest Vegetables: Specifically, young adults aged 18–24 consistently show the lowest vegetable consumption among all adult age groups.
Adolescents Lag on Recommendations: Only a small fraction of high school students meet federal recommendations for daily fruit and vegetable consumption.
Contributing Factors: Increased independence, cost, access to convenience foods, and lack of cooking skills are major drivers of low intake in this demographic.
Need for Targeted Intervention: Public health efforts must specifically target the barriers and behaviors of adolescents and young adults to be effective in improving nutrition.
Vegetable Variety is Low: In addition to low quantity, young adults consume a less diverse range of vegetables compared to older age groups.

Young Adults: The Lowest Vegetable Consumers

Recent data from the CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) highlights a significant trend among young adults. Studies have consistently identified the 18–24 year old demographic as having the lowest vegetable consumption among adults. This is often a transitional period where dietary habits shift away from family-controlled meals towards personal choices. Faced with a new environment, students and young professionals may prioritize convenience over nutrition, leading to a decreased intake of nutrient-rich produce. A study of Australian young adults found that 18–24-year-olds not only consumed fewer vegetables but also had the poorest vegetable variety compared to older young adults (25–34).

Adolescent Consumption Plummets After Childhood

Long before young adulthood, poor dietary habits are established during adolescence. Research shows that fruit consumption begins to decrease around age seven and reaches its lowest point during the teenage years. A 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) report found that only 7.1% of high school students met fruit intake recommendations, and a mere 2.0% met vegetable recommendations. This drop is likely influenced by a number of factors:

Increased Independence: Adolescents gain more control over their food choices and are less reliant on parent-provided meals.
Social Influences: Peer pressure and social norms can shift preferences away from healthy foods towards popular, often less nutritious, snacks and fast food.
Misconceptions: Teenagers may underestimate the importance of fruits and vegetables or perceive themselves as having adequate intake, even when they do not.
Prioritization of Taste and Cost: Convenience foods and processed snacks often taste more appealing to adolescents and can be cheaper and more readily available than fresh produce.

Factors Influencing Low Intake

Multiple and complex factors contribute to low fruit and vegetable consumption during adolescence and young adulthood. While biological factors like taste preferences play a role, environmental and socioeconomic elements are often more significant.

Cost and Access: For individuals with limited income, fruits and vegetables can be a costly purchase compared to energy-dense, processed alternatives. Living in low-income neighborhoods, which often have fewer grocery stores with fresh produce, further exacerbates this issue.
Lack of Food Preparation Skills: Young adults transitioning to independent living may lack the cooking skills or time to prepare healthy meals, defaulting to easy-to-prepare and less nutritious options.
Dietary Misinformation: A lack of nutritional knowledge can lead to poor dietary choices. While many young people express positive intentions towards healthy eating, these intentions often fail to translate into actual behavior.

Comparison of Consumption Across Age Groups

Different studies and data sets show variations, but a consistent pattern emerges, with adolescents and young adults falling short of recommendations most often. Below is a comparison table synthesizing findings from several reports, including CDC and other research data.


Age Group	Key Consumption Trends	Primary Contributing Factors
Young Children (2-5 years)	Higher fruit intake than older groups; vegetable intake often adequate initially but declines with age.	Parental involvement in meal preparation; more control over dietary intake at home.
Adolescents (12-19 years)	Sharp decline in both fruit and vegetable intake; lowest percentage meeting federal recommendations.	Increased independence; social pressure; convenience food preferences; cost.
Young Adults (18-24 years)	The age group that consumes the fewest vegetables; poor vegetable variety.	New living situations; food convenience; lack of preparation skills; limited budget.
Older Adults (65+ years)	Higher intake of total fruit and vegetables compared to younger adults, though still below optimal recommendations; more specific deficiencies like dark green/orange vegetables.	Greater health awareness; different food purchasing priorities; risk of deficiencies with lower overall intake.

Promoting Better Dietary Habits

Effective interventions are crucial to reversing the trend of low fruit and vegetable consumption in younger populations. These programs must address the unique barriers faced by adolescents and young adults. Strategies include promoting better food choices in schools, running age-appropriate nutritional campaigns (including via social media), and implementing educational programs that focus on practical cooking skills and budgeting for healthy food. Community and school environments have a significant role to play in increasing access and awareness of nutritious options.

Conclusion

While many people across all age groups fail to meet recommended fruit and vegetable intake, research clearly indicates that the deficiency is most pronounced among adolescents and young adults. This pattern is not just a statistical anomaly but a reflection of lifestyle changes, socioeconomic factors, and access challenges faced by this demographic. Addressing these issues with targeted public health strategies and interventions is essential to promoting better nutritional habits that can prevent long-term health problems and establish a foundation for a healthier life. For more detailed information on dietary guidelines, consult the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Young adults often eat fewer fruits and vegetables due to increased dietary independence, limited budgets, busy schedules favoring convenience foods, and a potential lack of cooking skills.

Consumption of fruits and vegetables typically declines significantly during the transition from childhood to adolescence, with a notable drop in fruit intake starting around age seven.

No, data from the CDC shows that the vast majority of high school students fail to meet the federal recommendations for daily fruit and vegetable intake.

Yes, research indicates that vegetable intake, especially non-starchy vegetables, is often lower and more varied than fruit intake among adolescents and young adults.

Higher family income is generally associated with higher fruit and vegetable consumption in children and adolescents, likely due to better access and affordability.

Low intake can lead to nutrient deficiencies, poor diet quality, and an increased risk of developing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity later in life.

Effective strategies include school-based initiatives, educational programs on cooking and budgeting, and social media campaigns tailored to young people's interests.

Moving toward independent living, such as attending college, often leads young people to prioritize convenient and affordable fast food options over preparing nutritious meals, resulting in reduced fruit and vegetable consumption.