Children Not Eating Enough Plant-Based Foods, Finds 30-Year Study

A global study spanning nearly 30 years has uncovered that children worldwide are consuming insufficient amounts of plant-based foods, highlighting a significant nutrition gap among young populations. The analysis revealed that children under one year old are only consuming 1.19 servings of nutritious plant-based foods daily, increasing to 3.55 servings for teenagers aged 15 to 19. Although plant-based food consumption generally rises as children grow older in most regions, high-income countries like the US see a decline in intake as children transition into later childhood and adolescence.

The researchers emphasized the importance of establishing healthy eating habits during childhood, as dietary habits formed early in life can impact health in the long term. The study suggested various policy priorities to address the inadequate consumption of plant-based foods among children, including expanding access to plant-based nutrition in schools globally, strengthening early childhood nutrition schemes in high-income countries, and implementing interventions to improve access to diverse vegetables in South Asia and address gaps in fruit and vegetable intake in East and Southeast Asia.