Eat 5 to 9 a day for better health
about the program header

The national 5 A Day for Better Health Program gives Americans a simple, positive message—eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day for better health. The program is jointly sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH), a nonprofit consumer education foundation representing the fruit and vegetable industry. The National Cancer Institute funds behavior change and communications research to determine strategies that are effective to increase fruit and vegetable consumption.

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Goals

To increase the average consumption of fruits and vegetables to 5 servings daily.

Objectives

To increase public awareness of the importance of eating 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day for better health; and

To provide consumers with specific information about how to include more servings of fruits and vegetables into daily eating patterns.

Background (Spanish)

The goal of the National 5 A Day for Better Health Program is to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables in the United States to 5 to 9 servings every day. In addition to this goal, the program seeks to inform Americans that eating fruits and vegetables can improve their health and reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases, including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and macular degeneration. The 5 A Day Program also provides consumers with practical and easy ways to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their daily eating patterns.

Since its inception in 1991, the 5 A Day for Better Health Program has become one of the most widely recognized health promotion programs in the world. As the largest public/private partnership for nutrition education, the 5 A Day Program's strength is the combined efforts of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Produce for Better Health Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States Department of Agriculture, United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, Produce Marketing Association, and the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity.

Results of the program's efforts have been encouraging. The percentage of Americans who know they should eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day has increased nearly fivefold-from 8 to 36 percent-since the program began in 1991. Even better is the fact that during the first three years of the program, the average adult's daily consumption of fruits and vegetables increased significantly. Data from the United States Department of Agriculture's Continuing Surveys of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII) shows that in 1989-1991, adults ate an average of 3.9 daily servings of fruits and vegetables. In 1994-1996 that number had increased to approximately 4.6 servings per day-less than a half a serving from the recommended minimum of five.

National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute, a world leader in biomedical cancer research, is the national health authority for the 5 A Day For Better Health Program. NCI provides leadership for the program through the implementation of a national media campaign, support of state 5 A Day programs, coordination of national partnership efforts and activities, and funding of nutrition behavior change research.

At the local level, 55 state and U.S. territorial health agencies are licensed by NCI to establish and coordinate 5 A Day programs within their states and territories to reach consumers with the 5 A Day message. The national partnership is implemented at the community level through statewide coalitions involving both industry and state licensees. Coalition participants include state and county health agencies, state departments of education, state departments of agriculture, cooperative extensions, voluntary agencies, businesses, hospitals, and state dietetics associations.

Produce for Better Health Foundation
The Produce for Better Health Foundation serves as the central coordinator for members of industry involved in spreading the 5 A Day message, which includes virtually all segments of the fruit and vegetable industry, including fresh, frozen, dried, canned, and juice.

Contacts

Food industry organization: Barbara Berry
Produce for Better Health Foundation
Phone: 302/235ADAY
Fax: 302/235-5555
NCI 5 A Day Program Contact Information: Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences
National Cancer Institute
6130 Executive Boulevard
Executive Plaza North, Room 4055C
Bethesda, MD 20892

Phone: (301) 496-8520
Fax: (301) 480-2087

Media: NCI Press Office
Phone: (301) 496-6641

Logo Usage Guidelines

5 A DAY LOGO GUIDELINES
Excerpts from the National 5 A Day Program Guidebook
Revised November 2003

Advertising or Promotional Context
Use of the program, its logo* and/or messages to promote an eligible product (as per section A above) must be in a manner that maintains the product's integrity as a low-fat food. Use of the program, its logo and/or messages or the citation of NCI that includes brand names or specific product references must be done in a manner that avoids the appearance of NCI specifically endorsing that particular brand or product (see "Logo Use" section below). The logo and messages may be used in advertising, promotions, or point-of-sale materials. For recipes, the logo may be used only with official 5 A Day recipes supplied by the Produce for Better Health Foundation or the National Cancer Institute, or recipes meeting the 5 A Day Recipe Criteria and approved by the program. A value-added or processed product such as pre-cut, shrink-wrapped, frozen, juice, or packaged fresh fruit or vegetables may also use the logo as long as it meets the criteria listed in section A above, follows the restrictions in section E below and is otherwise consistent with the General Guidelines.

* When reference is made to the "logo", it includes both large and small sized versions of the 5 A Day and the 5 to 9 A Day logo.

Logo Use
Licensed participants must strictly adhere to the following procedures and restrictions for use of the program logo and the citation of NCI or the Produce for Better Health Foundation in order to maintain the program's scientific integrity and not compromise NCI's responsibilities as an agency of the U.S. government or PBH's integrity. In general, the use of NCI's or the Foundation's name in any manner that might be interpreted as an endorsement of a particular product or company must include a disclaimer. Any violation by the licensee of the following procedures and restrictions will operate to place the license in jeopardy and may result in termination of their license. The logo must only be used in ways consistent with the General Guidelines and in the following manner:
  1. Just the logo. The logo, without an NCI tagline (or any message citing NCI) may be used on promotable products (section "Criteria for Products Promotable" under "General Guidelines"), promotional materials, or packaging as long as the context of the use is in accordance with the General Guidelines.

  2. Generic use - with citation of NCI. The logo with an authorized NCI tagline (see section "Authorized NCI Taglines" for taglines) or official 5 A Day advertising/promotion copy (supplied by the Foundation) may be used in brochures, banners, posters, retail advertisement, etc., which promote fruits and vegetables in a generic manner (i.e. no branded or specific product or service names are used).

  3. Branded or product specific use - with citation of NCI. The logo with an authorized tagline may be used in advertising, promotions, point-of-sale or consumer materials which make reference to branded or specific products or services, provided the following disclaimer (see section "NCI Disclaimer") is used.

  4. NCI disclaimer. The disclaimer is: "The mention of trade names, commercial products, or specific organizations does not constitute endorsement by NCI." The disclaimer must appear in the same size and typeface as the citation of NCI.

  5. Authorized NCI taglines. The following taglines citing NCI may be used only as outlined above (see "Generic Use" or "Branded or "Product Specific Use" sections):
      (a) "A message from the National Cancer Institute."
      (b) "A program in cooperation with the National Cancer Institute."
Participants need to follow the above information closely to avoid any appearance of making a health claim. The 5 A Day message is one of dietary guidance, not a health claim, and all participants need to work together to maintain this status. If you have any questions regarding the use of the logo you are strongly encouraged to contact the Produce for Better Health Foundation at 302-235-2329 or the National Cancer Institute at 301-496-8520.

Applications of the Program Logo

Large Version (more than 3/4 of an inch)
The large version of the logo can be used for any application that requires the logo to be reproduced in widths of more than 3/4 of an inch. In this large version, the phrase "for better health" is integrated with the logo and cannot be removed. If reproduction of the phrase "for better health" in orange is difficult to produce (due to the four-color printing process), print the phrase in black. You may reverse out the logotype 5 A Day for Better Health or 5 to 9 A Day for Better Health only to white when the logo appears on dark backgrounds.

Small Version (3/4 of an inch or less)
The small version of the logo should be used for applications where the logo will be reproduced in widths of 3/4 of an inch or less. In this small version, the phrase "for better health" is not included on the logo. It is recommended, but not required, that one of the following phrases be placed in an area near but separate from the logo, if space permits: This phrase must be a standalone element and may be in any legible typeface. In some applications where printing space is limited, there may not be sufficient room to place this phrase near the logo. However, this phrase should be used in conjunction with the small version of the logo wherever possible.

One-color Reproduction (including black/white versions) Four-color Process Reproduction Two- and Three-color Reproduction Do's and Don'ts for Large and Small Logo Applications

Do's Don'ts Alteration of Logo, Messages, or Materials
Changes in design of the program's logo or materials or written text or official advertising/promotion copy are not allowed without prior written approval by the Produce for Better Health Foundation and the National Cancer Institute. Any misuse of the program, its logo, or messages may result in termination of participation.

Photography
Photography used in conjunction with the 5 A Day program shall be consistent with the General Guidelines of the program and limit the display of alcoholic beverages and high fat foods. Photography that includes brand names must be done in a manner that avoids the appearance of NCI specifically endorsing that particular brand of product (see "General Guidelines" and "Logo Use; Branded or Product Specific Use" sections).

Participation in Other Nutrition-Related Programs
Participation in the 5 A Day program does not preclude participation in (or cross-promoting) other health agency or organizations' programs, which are consistent with the 5 A Day message, such as the American Cancer Society's Smart Shopper, or the American Dietetic Association's National Nutrition Month or Project Lean.

Sublicensing Other Participants

Industry
Licensed participants in the 5 A Day program are not allowed to sublicense other organizations. Only the Produce for Better Health Foundation or NCI can grant a license to participate or use the program's logo or messages. A licensed participant can loan the logo to a supplier to apply to materials produced for sole use by the licensee consistent with the General Guidelines. The supplier, however, cannot then make the same materials (or the logo or messages) available to others, unless the supplier obtains a license from the Produce for Better Health Foundation.

Non-Industry
Licensed non-industry participants (e.g., State Health Agencies and federal government health promotion programs may sublicense other groups {see Section E.9.B(1)(a)}: "Guidelines for Health Authorities; Requirements for Participation--General Guidelines - Exception for Sublicensing").

Key Initiatives

Lead The Way: 5 A Day Month

Men eat 9 a day

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