SACRAMENTO - Eating out, whether in a restaurant or at work, proved to be a barrier to fruit and vegetable consumption for Californians, according to a study released today by the California Department of Health Services. The study indicates that California adults are eating an average of 4.5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day when all their meals are eaten at home, but the average drops to a single full serving when they eat out, with consumption being lowest for those who chose fast food.

"Today's busy Californian's are eating out as much as ever. However, eating out may not mean healthy eating," said State Health Director, Kim Belshé. "Californians who eat out are eating fewer fruits and vegetables, leaving them well short of the national goal of five servings of fruits and vegetables every day to help reduce the risk of cancer."

While the percent of adults dining outside the home had been steady from 1989 through 1993, this survey showed that half of all adults ate out on the previous day, an increase of seven percentage points from 1993 to 1995. The study highlights some important differences:

• Men, people with higher education, and people with higher income levels ate out the most.
• African American and Latino adults were most likely to choose a fast food restaurant.
• Latino adults showed the most positive increases, with consumption rising from 3.9 servings in 1989 to 4.7 servings a day in 1995.
• White adults ate out more often than adults from other ethnic groups.
• Consumption of fruits and vegetables among white adults increased only slightly from 3.7 servings in 1989 to 3.9 servings in 1995.
• African American adults, on the other hand, showed a significant drop in consumption of fruits and vegetables, from 4.0 servings in 1989 to 3.0 servings in 1995.

Although reasons for the lower consumption are not well understood, overall consumption of fruits and vegetables has been increasing slowly but significantly since the California 5 a Day- for Better Health! Campaign began in 1989, when the average was 3.7 daily servings. If the current rate of change continues, California should reach the 5 A Day goal by about the year 2007.

The California 5 a Day- for Better Health! Campaign, operated by the state's Department of Health Services, promotes higher fruit and vegetable consumption in an effort to reduce Californian's risk of heart attack, stroke, and several different types of common cancers. The Campaign includes special initiatives for Spanish-speaking Latino adults, limited income adults, and pre-teen children. A public/private partnership with over 65 partnering organizations, the Campaign's principal co-sponsors are the American Cancer Society, California Division; the California Department of Education; and the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables has been a national health goal of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services since 1990.

For more information about cancer prevention and nutrition, contact the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER.