In the U.S., households that have a higher level of educational attainment purchase more fruits and vegetables

The U.S. currently faces an obesity crisis, costing society billions in preventative and treatment services as well as premature deaths. The declining consumption of fruits and vegetables among the public is often cited as a contributor to the crisis. In new research covering more than 7000 households, Joshua Berning and John Hogan find that those households that are headed by a college graduate purchase around nine more servings of fruits and vegetables a week compared to those with only a high school education. Not only do more highly educated people eat more fruits and vegetables, they also eat produce of higher quality. In light of these findings, they argue that we should not ignore the potential for education to counter the environmental factors that help to encourage obesity.