Key facts
- Adults with higher incomes are more likely to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, according to a CDC report.
- The percentage of adults eating any fruit increased with family income, from 56% for those below 130% of the federal poverty level to 76% for those at 350% of FPL.
- Only 29% of the lowest-income Americans ate dark green vegetables, compared to 42% for the highest income group.
- Food assistance enrollment fell 13% nationally between May 2025 and May 2026.
- The US Department of Agriculture will end its sponsorship of the Food Security Supplement in the US Census Bureau's annual survey in September 2025.
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights a persistent disparity in fresh produce consumption among US adults, directly correlating with income levels. The data, collected between August 2021 and 2023, indicates that individuals with higher incomes are significantly more likely to eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
More than nine in 10 Americans consumed vegetables daily, and about seven in 10 ate fruit. However, the frequency and variety of consumption increased with income. For instance, 56% of adults living below 130% of the federal poverty level ate fruit, compared to 76% of those earning 350% of the FPL. Similarly, the consumption of berries, citrus, and melons was nearly twice as high for those earning $55,860 annually versus the poorest individuals studied. Dark green vegetable consumption also showed a similar income-based divide.
This disparity is exacerbated by recent policy changes. Republican-led cuts to food assistance programs, colloquially known as "food stamps," have led to a substantial drop in enrollment, with a national decrease of 13% between May 2025 and May 2026. These cuts include requiring states to contribute to benefit costs, barring certain legal immigrants, and increasing work requirements. Concurrently, updated US dietary guidelines, influenced by health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, now emphasize animal protein, fresh fruits, and vegetables, which are generally more expensive.
Studies have long shown that lower-income individuals often rely on energy-dense, shelf-stable packaged foods due to cost and time constraints. A 1935 study by Sir John Boyd Orr noted a similar relationship between income and diet quality. Recent research from the University of Washington found that foods recommended by the health department cost approximately $15.82 per day, far exceeding the average SNAP household's daily food budget of about $3 per person.
Administrative burdens associated with new documentation requirements and work mandates are also contributing to reduced access to food benefits, particularly for individuals with inconsistent work hours or those recently released from incarceration, according to Pamela Lachman of the Center for Employment Opportunities. Furthermore, the US Department of Agriculture announced in September 2025 that it would cease sponsoring the Food Security Supplement in the US Census Bureau's annual survey, ending data collection that has been ongoing since 1995.