This survey was designed to measure the eating and drinking patterns of Americans and contains a wealth of socio-demographic and nutritional intake information at the household and individual level. This survey includes around 5,500 individuals in 62 U.S. location and uses a scientifically selected sampling method that projects to the entire U.S. population. In this analysis, the characteristics of individuals meeting the daily fruit consumption guidelines were compared to those of individuals not meeting the daily fruit consumption recommendations. It was found that gender, stage of life, socioeconomic status and where people live influence fruit consumption. This difference may reflect women's tendency to be more health conscious both in terms of caring for their families and for themselves.
Surveys indicate that women as a group are most aware of the diet-cancer link.
However, continuous vigilance is needed as dietary habits continue to evolve. While women are generally closer to meeting the guidelines, a recent California dietary survey found declining produce consumption among 35-50 year old women 5 . Lack of convenience was cited by many of these women as barrier to consumption. Consequently, how conditions associated with changes socioeconomic and lifestyle factors influence fruit consumption change as individuals age. This analysis also finds that fruit consumption follows a U-shaped pattern in relation to age.