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For years, public health officials have been telling us to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The message isn't getting through, though, despite more research which shows that diets high in these foods decrease the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and help with weight control.

Two new studies show that Americans still aren't eating enough fruits and veggies, and consumption has remained at the same low levels for nearly 2 decades.

One report, from researchers at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found that only about 33% of adults eat 2 fruit servings a day, and only 27% eat 3 vegetable servings each day. The numbers, published in a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, come from a national telephone survey of more than 305,000 people conducted for the CDC.

In the same vein, investigators from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that the percentage of adults eating the proper amounts of fruits and vegetables didn't budge in another national survey taken between 1988 and 2002. Their findings appear in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The trends trouble many health experts.

"Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet that can help reduce cancer risk, and the risk for heart disease and diabetes, too," says Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, American Cancer Society director of nutrition and physical activity. "Not only are they loaded with nutrients, they are naturally low in calories and can help you manage your weight, another key way to reduce your cancer risk."

Public health officials are so concerned, they've revamped the familiar 5-A-Day campaign, launching a new initiative and Web site to encourage Americans to add fruits and vegetables to their diets. The Fruits and Veggies -- More Matters site provides recipes and shopping advice, as well as activities and tips for getting kids excited about eating their greens -- and reds, yellows, purples, and oranges.

The new campaign is more specific, suggesting at least 2 1/2 cups of fruit and 3 1/2 cups of vegetables a day for someone eating about 2,000 calories. They also focus on simplicity by taking into account that many people currently do not eat nutrient-rich foods because of cost concerns, lack of time for preparation or lack of access.

The newer goal is to get people to eat some of these foods every time they eat.

Doyle, of ACS,offers these suggestions for boosting your intake:

• Add berries or bananas to cereal or yogurt
• Pile lettuce, tomatoes, and other veggies onto sandwiches
• Eat a cup of vegetable soup with dinner
• Add beans to soups or salads
• Mix up a fruit smoothie for breakfast or a snack
• Keep dried fruits or cans of 100% fruit juice handy for snacks
• Keep fresh fruit on the kitchen counter
• Keep baby carrots or other ready-to-eat veggies front and center in the fridge

Leading the charge on the Fruits and Veggies -- More Matters campaign is the Produce for Better Health Foundation along with the CDC. The foundation is a 15-year-old nonprofit that works with the growers industry, government agencies and other nonprofits to boost public health through better eating.

Other partners include the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, the National Cancer Institute and the National Alliance for Nutrition & Activity.

Citations: "Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Adults -- United States, 2005." Published in the March 16, 2007 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (Vol. 56, No. 10: 213-217). First author: H. M. Blanck, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Have Americans Increased Their Fruit and Vegetable Intake? The Trends Between 1988 and 2002." Published in the April, 2007, American Journal of Preventive Medicine (Vol. 32, No. 4: 257-263). First author: Sarah Stark Casagrande, MHS, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.