New research suggests that the updated 2012 guidelines for school lunches have resulted in increased fruit and vegetable consumption by lower-income students. Researchers report that in the school year following the adoption of the 2012 guidelines, fruit consumption increased 23% while vegetable intake increased 16%. Lead researcher Dr. Juliana Cohen adds, “There is a push from some organizations and lawmakers to weaken the new standards. We hope the findings, which show that students are consuming more fruits and vegetables, will discourage those efforts.”
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, March 2014