PHMC Household Health Survey Finds More Than Half of SEPA Adults Don't Consume Recommended Nutritional Servings

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March6, 2014
Contact: Veronica Mikitka Reed, 215.434.7194 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PHMC HOUSEHOLD HEALTH SURVEY FINDS MORE THAN HALF OF SEPA ADULTS DON'T CONSUME RECOMMENDED NUTRITIONAL SERVINGS

PHMC data highlights SEPA "nutritional divide" among minorities' and low income residents' access to and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables

PHILADELPHIA—More than half of Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA) adults (18+) consume two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and approximately 163,000 adults (18+) do not have access to fruits and vegetables in their neighborhood,according to survey data from the 2012 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey, an survey conducted by Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) Center for Data Innovation. Insufficient access to fresh fruits and vegetables can negatively impact one's health.According to the survey, 60 percent of adults with diabetes and 59 percent with high blood pressureconsume two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

These data are especially significant in light of the National Nutrition Month, which is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to draw attention to the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. To address these issues in SEPA, PHMC partners with The Food Trust to create awareness and improve access to healthy, affordable food through school programs, farmers markets, a roving street food festival and collaboration with more than 600 neighborhood corner stores. These regional efforts are important as the World Health Organization found that an intake of two cups (400grams) of fruits and vegetables per day prevents chronic diseases.

The SEPA Household Health Survey data below focus on how access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables relates to the health and chronic conditions of adults in the region.

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
In SEPA, more than half of adults (18+) consume two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables on a typical day (53%).

  • Adults in Philadelphia County are more likely to consume two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables on a typical day (61%) compared with those in Delaware (52%), Bucks (48%), Montgomery (47%), and Chester (46%) Counties.
  • Men are more likely to consume two or fewer servings (60%) compared to women (47%).
  • Black, Latino and Asian adults (68%, 65% and 59% respectively) are more likely to consume two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables daily than white adults (47%).
  • In addition, nearly seven in ten adults living below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) consume two or fewer servings of fruits/vegetables on a typical day (68%), which is substantially higher than those living at or above 150% of the FPL (49%).
  • As education attainment increases, so does fruit and vegetable consumption. Three-quarters of adults with less than a high school diploma eat two or fewer servings on a typical day (74%) compared to 41% of adults with a college degree or more.
  • Adults who are unemployed are more likely to consume two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables (65%) in comparison to adults who work full- or part-time (50%).

Access to Fruits and Vegetables
Across the region, approximately 5% of adults (18+) have a difficult or very difficult time finding fruits and vegetables in their neighborhood, representing approximately 163,000 adults.

  • Black and Latino adults are more likely to have a difficult/very difficult time accessing fruits and vegetables in their neighborhood (11% and 10% respectively) compared to Asian and white adults (4% and 3% respectively).
  • Approximately 12% of adults living below 150% of the FPL have a difficult or very difficult time finding fruits and vegetables in their neighborhood in comparison to 4% of adults at or above 150% of the FPL.
  • Similar to fruit and vegetable consumption, as education attainment increases, so does the ease with which adults can find fresh fruits and vegetables in their neighborhood. One in ten adults with less than a high school diploma have a difficult or very difficult time (10%) compared to 3% of those with a college degree or more.

Health Status and Chronic Conditions
More than six in ten SEPA adults who are in fair or poor health consume two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables on a typical day (64%), representing approximately 317,600 adults.

  • One in ten adults who are in fair or poor health finds it difficult or very difficult to access fresh fruits and vegetables in their neighborhood (10%).
  • Approximately 60% of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes consume two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
  • Similarly, 59% of adults with high blood pressure consume two or fewer servings of fruits and vegetables on a typical day.

The Household Health Survey is conducted by telephone and includes 10,000 households in the SEPA region (Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties). For more information about these findings, contact Sarah Ingerman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About Public Health Management Corporation Center for Data Innovation
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. The Center for Data Innovation includes the Community Health Data Base (CHDB) and its annual Household Health Survey, one of the largest regional health surveys in the country.The Pew Charitable Trusts, William Penn Foundation, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, United Way of North Penn, Green Tree Community Health Foundation, North Penn Community Health Foundation, Thomas Scattergood Foundation, Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation, and over 350 local agencies from the health, government, nonprofit and academic sectors, help to support the CHDB and survey. For more information visit www.phmc.org or contact Francine Axler at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..