Eat your veggies
Florida initiative encourages healthier eating habits

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today helped unveil a new health initiative designed to get Floridians to eat more fruits and vegetables.

At an event in the Capitol Plaza, Bronson touted the nationally sponsored "Fruits and Veggies - More Matters" campaign and told those in attendance that eating Florida produce is one of the easiest ways to improve one's health.

"The message is very simple - most people benefit from eating a variety of fruits and vegetables," Bronson said. "And we're truly blessed in Florida as we grow more than 280 commercial crops that feed Floridians, consumers throughout the country and citizens around the world."

Bronson's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Department of Health hosted the event, whose national sponsors include Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The program is housed in the Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

The "Fruits and Veggies - More Matters" message is the next generation of PBH's 15- year-old "5-A-Day for Better Health" program, a campaign encouraging consumers to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Dr. William Dietz, director of the CDC's Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, said that healthy diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases, as well as help people manage their weight. However, roughly nine of 10 consumers do not consume the recommended number of servings.

"Our mission is to change consumers' behavior over the long term and close this consumption gap," Dietz said.

For more information on the "Fruits and Veggies - More Matters" campaign, consumers are encouraged to visit the campaign's website at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters. org.

The interactive site offers recipes, serving ideas, shopping advice and includes activities for getting children involved.