Peer reviewed studies published show that messaging, marketing tactics and media reports that raise unnecessary fears about the safety of fruits and vegetables due to pesticide residues may be negatively impacting consumption of these nutrient-dense foods.  With only one in 10 Americans eating enough produce each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control, the creation of a “fear barrier” to consumption further undermines public health efforts to improve diets.

After the peer reviewed studies substantiated concerns about the impact of fear-based messaging, the Alliance for Food and Farming (AFF) wanted to learn more from the nutrition community about their real-life experiences related to improving eating patterns. Therefore, the AFF fielded a survey with the objective to better understand the challenges faced by registered dietitians (RDs) and nutritionists to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables in the daily diets of their clients and consumers.

Our goal is to share these results with the nutrition community and engage in further dialogue about how we can work together to break down consumption barriers with a specific focus on alleviating safety fears.