Our Views: We're eating our vegetables and our dessert

Published: October 20, 2003, 08:45:16 AM PDT

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Can't somebody somewhere please find something encouraging to say about America's standing date with obesity? (While you're mulling that over, would you please pass the salad -- oh, and the bleu cheese dressing, too?)

Enter the Annual Eating Patterns study, a survey of American habits that the New York-based NPD Group has been conducting for the past 18 years. NPD says this year's most surprising finding is that fruits and vegetables are in. (No kidding? Could you pass the bread, please? And the butter. Thanks.)

The 5,000 people surveyed reported eating fruit 6 percent more often and vegetables 5 percent more often than they did the previous year. That reverses what had been a steady decline in produce consumption. Sixty-six percent said they partook of strenuous exercise at least once a week, up three percentage points from last year. (Pass the chips and salsa, please. All that exercise sure works up an appetite.)

OK. These improvements come in small increments, sometimes within the survey margin of error. So we won't entertain any fantasies of headlines about Americans in large numbers whittling themselves into their senior prom gowns and wedding tuxedos. (Why thank you, yes, we will take seconds on the meat loaf and the mashed potatoes -- just this once, you understand.)

And no mention of the Annual Eating Patterns study would be complete if it did not disclose that along with fruits and veggies, dessert consumption is also up, right along with pizza, which now accounts for 5.8 percent of all dinners -- twice as many as in 1985. (Double pepperoni? No thanks. But pass that cheese shaker, please. And could we get a refill on that soft drink -- diet this time.)

But forgive us anyway if we're willing to stretch a little for some good news about American appetites. We'd love to discuss it further, but it's not polite to talk with our mouths full.