Will Eating More Vegetables Trim Our Body Weight?

The purpose of the study is to examine the dietary consequences of greater consumption of vegetables by type and source. Dietary outcomes include calorie intake, USDA’s healthy eating index (HEI) scores, and intakes of fiber and sodium. We fit a fixed-effects model with two-day intake data from the 2003-4 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Our results suggest that the effect of vegetable consumption on diet varies greatly by type of vegetables and where the food is prepared. As stated in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, ―Eating [vegetables and fruits] instead of higher calorie foods can help adults and children achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Our results support the statement and call for attention to how to incorporate vegetables into healthy foods, both at home and away from home