Diet & Nutrition
Only 14% of men consume five a day
Consumption of five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day, by sex and age, 2004
It is recommended that a healthy diet should include at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables (excluding potatoes) a day. In 2004, 14 per cent of men and 27 per cent of women in England consumed five or more portions a day, while 8 per cent of men and 6 per cent of women consumed no fruit or vegetables.
The proportion eating the recommended amount increases with age. Among young people aged 16 to 24, 16 per cent of men and 18 per cent of women consumed an average of five or more portions a day. This compares with 32 per cent of men and 34 per cent of women aged 55 to 64.
There has been a marked change in the British diet since the early 1970s. There has been a long-term rise in the consumption of poultry and a fall in red meat (such as beef). In addition, the use of convenience food – both frozen and ready meals and snacks – has increased.
Men were more likely than women to be overweight (or obese), 67 per cent compared with 58 per cent. This compares with 58 per cent of men and 49 per cent of women ten years earlier.
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National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Young People