Amish.
This information on the diet in a rural community provides a baselineunderstanding of the quality and types of food consumed in this comparison community.Research has been conducted examining the diet in rural United States, althoughthe majority of studies have been carried out in an older population. A study conductedin the rural Midwest found that almost half of the older women consumed more caloriesthan their estimated energy requirement (Boeckner, Pullen, Walker, Oberdorfer, &Hageman, 2007). The women in the study also consumed fewer fruits, dairy products,and whole grains than were recommended by the 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
It appears that rural residents, particularly older individuals, are not meeting nutritionalrecommendations, with one study concluding that 24% of the sample population had poordiets, 75% needed improvements, and only 1% was assessed as having a good diet(Vitolins et al., 2007). Research in a rural Mississippi population supported the notionthat rural residents consumed fewer fruits and vegetables than national estimates, withlow quality vegetables being consumed (mainly French fries and potato chips)(Champagne, Bogle, & Karge, 2002). Evidence exists suggesting that rural adolescents
