Hispanics rate higher in fruit and vegetable consumption

Lower income Hispanic women tend to consume more fruits and vegetables than their white or African American counterparts. That finding was reported in this story by Amy Norton of Reuters from a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. I searched in The Packer library and I don't think we have ever covered a story that plainly states that contention. Yet another reason to fine tune the produce department to account for Hispanic tastes and preferences. From the story:

While it can be hard for low-income families to afford fresh fruits and vegetables, disadvantaged Hispanic women tend to have healthier diets than their white and African-American counterparts, a study suggests.

Researchers found that among 603 mothers of children in Head Start programs in Alabama and Texas, diets tended to be too low in important nutrients. But Hispanic mothers did generally get more fruits and vegetables than white and African-American mothers did, and a lower percentage of their daily calories came from fat.
On average, the study found, Hispanic women consumed what health experts consider an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables -- 4.6 cups per day, based on detailed dietary questionnaires.
In contrast, white and black women averaged between 2 and 3 cups per day, the researchers report in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

The findings, they say, show that it is possible for low-income families to fit more healthy fare into their budgets."You see a lot of people on the news say you can't have a healthy diet on a low income," said lead researcher Dr. Sharon L. Hoerr, a professor of food science and nutrition at Michigan State University in East Lansing.

"This refutes the idea that it's impossible," she told Reuters Health.