Contents
- Fruit consumption statistics: How many U.S. adults eat fruit on a given day?
- Fruit consumption statistics by sex: Whole fruit, citrus, berries, and juice
- Fruit consumption statistics by family income: Differences across income groups
- Fruit consumption statistics for children and teens: Intake by age and fruit type
- Fruit consumption statistics over time: U.S. intake and availability trends
- Sources
Fruit consumption statistics: How many U.S. adults eat fruit on a given day?
In CDC data collected from August 2021 through August 2023, 69.9% of U.S. adults aged 20 and older reported consuming any fruit on a given day. The estimate’s 95% confidence interval was 66.1%–73.7%; the table lists a sample size of 4,798 and a standard error of 1.8. This is a measure of whether fruit appeared in one recalled day, not how much fruit people usually eat or whether they meet a dietary recommendation. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
The same adult table separates fruit into categories. On a given day, 50.0% consumed “other whole fruit,” with a 95% confidence interval of 46.0%–54.0%. The category “citrus, melons, or berries” was reported by 31.3% (27.5%–35.1%), while 31.0% consumed 100% fruit juice (29.3%–32.6%). Each estimate uses the same overall sample size of 4,798 and reflects the August 2021–August 2023 data collection period. These categories describe reported occurrence; the percentages should not be added to produce a share of adults, since one person may have consumed more than one type on the recalled day. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
| Fruit category among U.S. adults aged 20+ | Consumed on a given day | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| Any fruit | 69.9% | 66.1%–73.7% |
| Other whole fruit | 50.0% | 46.0%–54.0% |
| Citrus, melons, or berries | 31.3% | 27.5%–35.1% |
| 100% fruit juice | 31.0% | 29.3%–32.6% |
U.S. adults aged 20 and older; August 2021–August 2023. Estimates concern consumption on one recalled day. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
Fruit consumption statistics by sex: Whole fruit, citrus, berries, and juice
The adult estimates vary by sex across several fruit categories. For any fruit on a given day, the estimate was 66.1% among men aged 20 and older (95% confidence interval: 61.4%–70.8%) and 73.5% among women (69.9%–77.0%). The CDC marks the women’s estimate as significantly different from the men’s at p < 0.05. These are population estimates for the August 2021–August 2023 period, not a measure of how frequently individuals eat fruit across a week or month. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
For “citrus, melons, or berries,” 27.2% of men reported consumption on a given day (23.0%–31.4%), compared with 35.2% of women (31.5%–38.8%). The CDC identifies the women’s estimate as significantly different from the men’s at p < 0.05. For “other whole fruit,” the corresponding estimates were 47.0% for men (41.5%–52.4%) and 52.9% for women (49.1%–56.6%); the women’s value is also marked as significantly different. The category label “other whole fruit” is retained from the report and should not be read as a particular fruit species. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
For 100% fruit juice, 29.0% of men reported consumption on a given day (25.9%–32.2%), compared with 32.8% of women (30.2%–35.4%). The table does not mark this comparison as statistically significant. The estimates by sex therefore show differences in reported one-day occurrence, but they do not establish why those differences appear or how much fruit or juice was consumed. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
| Fruit category | Men aged 20+ | Women aged 20+ |
|---|---|---|
| Any fruit | 66.1% | 73.5%* |
| Citrus, melons, or berries | 27.2% | 35.2%* |
| Other whole fruit | 47.0% | 52.9%* |
| 100% fruit juice | 29.0% | 32.8% |
Women’s estimate significantly different from men’s at p < 0.05, as marked in the CDC table. Percentages represent consumption on a given day, August 2021–August 2023. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
Fruit consumption statistics by family income: Differences across income groups
The CDC groups adult family income by its ratio to the federal poverty level (FPL). For any fruit on a given day, the estimates were 56.9% for adults below 130% FPL (95% confidence interval: 51.0%–62.7%), 67.4% for those at 130%–349% FPL (65.1%–69.8%), and 76.5% for those at 350% FPL or above (71.8%–81.1%). The lowest-income category’s estimate is marked as significantly different from the 350%-or-more category in the CDC table. The report says family income information was missing for 11.6% of adults, a limitation when interpreting these grouped estimates. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
A similar ordered pattern appears for “other whole fruit”: 37.2% below 130% FPL (33.2%–41.2%), 47.3% at 130%–349% FPL (43.7%–50.9%), and 57.3% at or above 350% FPL (52.4%–62.3%). The estimate for the below-130% group is marked as significantly different from the highest-income group. These percentages refer to adults who reported the category on one recalled day, not to average servings or usual intake. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
| Family income as share of FPL | Any fruit | Other whole fruit |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 130% FPL | 56.9%* | 37.2%* |
| 130%–349% FPL | 67.4% | 47.3% |
| 350% or more FPL | 76.5% | 57.3% |
The CDC marks the below-130% FPL estimates as significantly different from the 350%-or-more FPL estimates. One-day consumption, U.S. adults aged 20+, August 2021–August 2023. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
For citrus, melons, or berries, the estimates were 19.6% below 130% FPL (15.9%–23.4%), 30.6% at 130%–349% FPL (27.4%–33.7%), and 38.0% at or above 350% FPL (32.4%–43.6%). The lowest-income estimate is marked as significantly different from the highest-income estimate. The broad category includes several types of fruit; the data do not provide separate values here for citrus, melons, and berries. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
The 100% fruit juice estimates are 29.0% for adults below 130% FPL (25.9%–32.1%), 28.1% for adults at 130%–349% FPL (25.8%–30.5%), and 32.1% at or above 350% FPL (29.4%–34.8%). The middle-income estimate is marked as significantly different from the 350%-or-more estimate. Unlike the whole-fruit categories, these reported juice percentages do not rise across all 3 income groups in sequence. Taken together, the category-specific results show that the relationship with income varies by the type of fruit measured; these descriptive estimates do not explain the reasons for the differences. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults.
Fruit consumption statistics for children and teens: Intake by age and fruit type
For U.S. children and adolescents aged 2–19, 77.0% consumed any fruit on a given day during August 2021–August 2023 (95% confidence interval: 74.2%–79.8%). The age breakdown shows a descending sequence in the share reporting any fruit: 91.8% among children aged 2–5 (88.2%–95.3%), 83.3% among those aged 6–11 (80.5%–86.1%), and 66.2% among adolescents aged 12–19 (61.3%–71.1%). The CDC marks the 2–5 estimate as significantly different from the 12–19 estimate. The figures represent whether fruit was reported on one recalled day, not the amount eaten or usual daily intake. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Children and Adolescents.
Other whole fruit was reported by 55.5% of all children and adolescents aged 2–19 (52.2%–58.8%). By age, the estimates were 71.4% for children aged 2–5 (66.9%–75.9%), 58.4% for ages 6–11 (53.6%–63.1%), and 46.6% for ages 12–19 (41.1%–52.2%). The youngest group’s estimate is marked as significantly different from that for adolescents. The table reports occurrence, so it does not describe portions, servings, or how often children ate the category outside the recall day. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Children and Adolescents.
| Age group | Any fruit | Other whole fruit |
|---|---|---|
| Ages 2–19 | 77.0% | 55.5% |
| Ages 2–5 | 91.8%* | 71.4%* |
| Ages 6–11 | 83.3% | 58.4% |
| Ages 12–19 | 66.2% | 46.6% |
For both categories, the CDC marks ages 2–5 as significantly different from ages 12–19. U.S. children and adolescents; consumption on a given day, August 2021–August 2023. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Children and Adolescents.
The broader category “citrus, melons, or berries” was consumed by 37.2% of children and adolescents aged 2–19 (34.1%–40.4%). The estimate was 53.9% among ages 2–5 (47.5%–60.2%), 44.1% among ages 6–11 (37.9%–50.3%), and 25.3% among ages 12–19 (20.9%–29.7%). The CDC marks the youngest group’s result as significantly different from the adolescent estimate. As with the adult data, the combined category does not identify a separate percentage for each fruit type. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Children and Adolescents.
For 100% fruit juice, the estimate for all children and adolescents aged 2–19 was 44.6% (41.9%–47.3%). By age, it was 56.9% for ages 2–5 (49.1%–64.7%), 50.4% for ages 6–11 (44.8%–55.9%), and 35.3% for ages 12–19 (30.7%–39.9%). The youngest group’s value is marked as significantly different from the adolescent value. These juice results, like the whole-fruit results, capture presence on a recalled day; they do not report quantity. CDC, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Children and Adolescents.
Fruit consumption statistics over time: U.S. intake and availability trends
USDA ERS estimates of adults’ usual fruit intake relative to dietary recommendations offer a different view from the CDC’s one-day occurrence figures. In the USDA series, 33.4% of U.S. adults aged 20 and older consumed below 25% of total fruit recommendations in 2005–08. The corresponding share was 40.3% in 2017–20, a period for which the data extend only through March 2020. For 2017–20, 63.1% consumed below 50% of recommendations, 76.9% consumed below 75%, and 85.3% consumed below 100%. The report estimates usual intake using the NCI method, so these percentages describe modeled long-term intake relative to recommendations rather than whether fruit appeared on one specific day. USDA ERS, Trends in U.S. Fruit Consumption Relative to Recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
In that same 2017–20 adult estimate, 14.7% fully satisfied total fruit recommendations. For children aged 2–19, 28.8% consumed below 25% of total fruit recommendations in 2017–20, with data through March 2020. The adult and child values concern different age populations, and the reported child figure is specifically for the below-25% category. USDA ERS, Trends in U.S. Fruit Consumption Relative to Recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
USDA ERS also reports per-capita fruit availability, a loss-adjusted measure described as a proxy for national consumption. Total fruit availability was 0.95 cup equivalents per person per day in 2003 and 0.82 in 2021. These availability figures are not individual survey intake estimates. In separate NHANES individual-level data, total fruit intake was 1 cup equivalent per person per day in 2003–04 and 0.93 in 2017–18. The series differ in data source, measure, and dates, so their values should be read separately rather than as interchangeable points in one trend. USDA ERS, Peeling Open U.S. Fruit Consumption Trends.
The ERS article describes fruit density as cup equivalents per 1,000 calories. For children and teens aged 2–19, fruit density in the overall diet was 0.55 cup equivalents per 1,000 calories in 2003–04 and 0.74 in 2017–18. For children’s intake at school, fruit density was 1 cup equivalent per 1,000 calories in 2003–04 and 1.36 in 2017–18. These are density measures, which account for the calorie content of the diet; they are not total cups eaten per child. USDA ERS, Peeling Open U.S. Fruit Consumption Trends.
The same article reports that U.S. seniors aged 65 and older consumed 0.59 cup equivalents of fruit per 1,000 calories in 2017–18. This is a population-specific fruit-density estimate and cannot be directly compared with the children’s school-time density as if both described the same population or eating context. Across the historical indicators, reported consumption on a recalled day, modeled usual intake relative to recommendations, loss-adjusted availability, and fruit density each answer a different question. Keeping those definitions attached to the numbers makes the trends more useful and avoids treating unlike measures as a single continuous series. USDA ERS, Peeling Open U.S. Fruit Consumption Trends.
Sources
- Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 570)
- Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Children and Adolescents: United States, August 2021–August 2023 (NCHS Health E-Stat 123)
- Trends in U.S. Fruit Consumption Relative to Recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (USDA ERS Economic Research Report 341)
- Peeling Open U.S. Fruit Consumption Trends