Study Reveals the Top US States with Clean Eating Habits
A recent study by a nutrition label-making company analyzed food consumption patterns amongst the U.S. population at a state level to determine which states have cleaner eating habits. The research derived data from governmental databases and focused on key metrics such as the percentage of the population consuming fruits and vegetables, sugary drinks, and local organic food sales (in millions of dollars).
Full list of findings
| State | Population Consuming Fruits and Veggies | Population Consuming Sugary Drinks | Local Organic Food Sales ($M) | Score | Rank |
| California | 3558440.00 | 24790465.8 | 3000.00 | 0.7 | 1 |
| New York | 2424150.00 | 13252019.3 | 300.00 | 0.44240431 | 2 |
| Washington | 694435.00 | 4243770.3 | 800.00 | 0.40647985 | 3 |
| Texas | 2564804.00 | 18215940.6 | 150.00 | 0.3824913 | 4 |
| Michigan | 967424.00 | 5945625.29 | 150.00 | 0.35154817 | 5 |
| New Jersey | 1058945.00 | 6455850.83 | 50.00 | 0.34567525 | 6 |
| Oregon | 275422.00 | 2182186.84 | 350.00 | 0.33912897 | 7 |
| Wisconsin | 371304.00 | 2970433.87 | 300.00 | 0.33534699 | 8 |
| Colorado | 511462.00 | 3452368.99 | 200.00 | 0.33534463 | 9 |
| Pennsylvania | 1014211.00 | 8568779.3 | 250.00 | 0.33470434 | 10 |
California ranks 1st among U.S. states with cleaner eating habits, with 9% of its population consuming three or more fruits and vegetables daily. The state leads in local organic food sales at $3,000 million and has the highest number of people consuming sugary drinks, at 62.7% of the population (24,790,465), indicating a balanced approach to diet.
In 2nd place, New York has 12% of its population (2,424,150) consuming three or more fruits and vegetables daily and organic food sales of $300 million, highlighting New Yorkers’ health consciousness. However, 65.6% of the population consumes sugary drinks.
The third state with cleaner eating habits is Washington, where organic food sales are the second highest ($800 million) on the list. The state has 9% of its population consuming fruits and vegetables daily, with a relatively low portion of the population (55% or 4,243,770 people) consuming sugary drinks.
Texas, in 4th place, has the second-highest portion of the population consuming fruits and vegetables (8.8% of people) and relatively moderate organic food sales at $150 million, highlighting a strong interest in healthy eating. However, 62.5% of the population consumes sugary drinks.
Michigan ranks 5th, with 9.6% of its population consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables daily and 59% of its population consuming sugary drinks. The organic food sales are $150 million, reflecting a moderate interest in cleaner eating habits.
New Jersey, ranked 6th, has 11.4% of its population eating fruits and vegetables, while 69.5% consume sugary beverages daily. With organic food sales at $50 million, there is an opportunity to expand the market for healthier food options.
Oregon is in 7th place, with 6.5% of its population choosing to consume fruits and vegetables daily and a comparatively low number of 51.5% consuming sugary drinks. The state’s organic food sales, totaling $350 million, indicate a strong demand for healthier choices.
Wisconsin ranks 8th, with 6.3% of its population (371,304 people) opting for fruits and vegetables and 50.4% consuming sugary drinks. Its organic food sales are $300 million, indicating a stable market presence of healthier food options.
Colorado, in 9th place, has 8.8% of its population consuming fruits and vegetables, while 59.4% (3,452,369 people) prefer sugary drinks. With organic food sales of $200 million, there is an inclination towards clean eating habits.
Pennsylvania wraps up the ranking of U.S. states with cleaner eating habits at the 10th position. The state’s organic food sales are $250 million, with 7.8% of its population eating fruits and vegetables daily and 65.9% (8,568,779 people) choosing to consume sugary drinks.