US obesity levels stabilise as fruit consumption increases: NPD report

Americans are consuming more fruit, more bottled water and more yoghurt compared with a decade earlier, according to the 28th annual ‘Eating Patterns in America Report’ published by the NPD Group, a global information and advisory services provider.

The report revealed that Americans are shifting to healthier, simpler diets and that has helped to stabilise obesity levels.

Over the last decade, fruit has surpassed milk, vegetables and carbonated soft drinks and currently ranks number two in the list of top ten foods Americans eat.

Top ten foods in the list include sandwiches, fruit, vegetables, carbonated soft drinks, milk, coffee, potatoes, salty snacks, fruit juice and cold cereal.

According to the study, the number of Americans who are overweight with a body mass index 25 or higher haw not grown since 2003.

The number of adults who are obese with a body mass index of 30 or higher continued to increase until 2011, but this has since stabilised and not increased.

Eating Patterns in America author and chief industry analyst Harry Balzer said, "Fruit is the number one snack and dessert in the United States and now makes up six% of end dishes we consume.

"The movement toward more fruit over the last decade is, in my opinion, a movement toward the need for natural. Fruit is generally not processed and requires less preparation than many other foods."

Balzer added, "While health concerns play a role in the American diet, the cost of food and the need for convenient preparation are also major drivers in our food and beverage selections."

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Image: Fruit currently ranks number two in the list of top ten foods Americans eat. Photo courtesy of Michael & Christa Richert.