Fruits of Fear: The Paradox of Public Health in the Age of Outbreaks A recent survey found that 40% of Americans are buying or eating less fresh fruit and vegetables due to concerns over contamination, despite being a crucial component of a healthy diet.
This trend is counterintuitive, given the well documented benefits of fruits and vegetables in preventing life threatening diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Experts point out that this issue runs far deeper than the latest outbreak. According to Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician, about 90% of Americans already eat too few vegetables, and 80% eat too little fruit.