BRFSS Data World's largest telephone survey tracks health risk behavior
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
is the world’s largest
consumer telephone survey, established by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) to track health risk behavior of U.S. residents. BRFSS
surveys have been conducted annually since 1994, sampling a mean of 4,000
persons per state. In 1996, data on fruit and vegetable intake from all
50 states became publicly available every other year.
BRFSS also tracks behaviors associated with increased disease risk,
including eating a high-fat, low fiber diet, use of tobacco and alcohol,
low levels
of physical activity, lack of use of preventative health services (e.g.,
flu shots, Pap smears, colorectal cancer screening), seat belt use,
not taking
needed medication, and others. State and local health departments then
may use BRFSS data to develop and monitor interventions for emerging
health problems.
Table I How are we doing?
Average
fruit and vegetable consumption per day
Nationwide Data
Year
Never
or <1 a day
1
to < 3 a day
3 to 5 a day
5+
times a day
1996
2.9
31.7
40.9
24.5
1998
3.0
32.5
40.4
24.7
2000
3.5
33.2
39.4
23.6
2002
4.1
35.4
37.0
23.0
2003
4.3
35.4
37.0
23.1
According to Table
I, more than 75% of U.S. residents failed to meet the minimum recommended
5 servings each day of fruits and vegetables. In addition to nationwide
summary data, the BRFSS website provides a breakdown of demographic information
on persons who achieve 5 fruits and vegetables each day. This data is provided
in Table II below.
