Teens and Grains

Teens are not consuming enough whole-grain foods, according to a recent study from the University of Minnesota at St. Paul, featured in the January 2012 issue ofFood Nutrition & Science. The study analyzed adolescents aged 12-19 in the “National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey” (NHANES, 1999-2004); it found less than one third of teens consumed more than .5 whole-grain ounce-equivalents per day. The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released January 2011, recommend all adults eat at least half their grains as whole grains (at least 3-5 servings); children need 2-3 servings or more. According to the Whole Grains Council, consumption lags far behind these recommendations. The average American eats less than one daily serving of whole grains, and some studies show that over 40% of Americans never eat whole grains at all. “This is an opportunity for food companies, school nutrition programs and retailers to market the health benefits of grains and create easier access to products and recipes,” says Phil Lempert, founder of

Food Nutrition & Scienceand CEO of The Lempert Report and SupermarketGuru.com. For more information or to subscribe to Food Nutrition & Science, please visit www.FoodNutritionScience.compf

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