Many in U.S. have poor nutrition, with the disabled doing worst

It is no surprise that most US adults are not getting enough vegetables in their diet every day. When we don't get enough vegetables in our diet our kids often miss out too. It's important for us to teach our kids how to make good food choices by setting a good example.

Even on a good day the average person has a hard time ensuring that their diet has everything in they need. But what if you have some disability that creates even more challenges for you. Beginning in 2008 researchers began looking at the diets of more than 4200 people who were qualified as disabled.  The big challenge with this study is that it is based on self reporting.  People doing research know that there is always a level of inaccuracy with this kind of study but in this case the number of people responding the study is so large that they were able to get to some interesting conclusions.

One of the most interesting things that have come out of this study as far as we're concerned is that the dietary needs of the disabled are often overlooked. When we think of making things handicap accessible we often think only of transportation. We don't always think about the challenges that people with disabilities might have in ensuring they are getting a good diet. Whether they are mentally disabled or physically disabled they may have a hard time preparing good meals for themselves. We need to be mindful that when we think about ways to help our neighbors in our own community we don't want to overlook helping our neighbors make sure they get enough vegetables.

READ THE ENTIRE STUDY HERE

Many in U.S. have poor nutrition, with the disabled doing worst 
Most US adults fail to meet recommended daily levels of 10 key nutrients, and those with disabilities have even worse nutrition than average, researchers report. An estimated 10 to 25 percent of U.S. adults fit into one or more category of disability, from those who have difficulties with activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing and eating, to those who cannot use their legs or struggle to accomplish routine tasks, such as money management or household chores. 

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