Only eight per cent of 11 to 18-year-olds meet the five-a-day recommendation for fruit and vegetables, a national survey has found.
The National Diet and Nutrition Survey, funded by Public Health England and the UK Food Standards Agency, revealed there has been no change in fruit and veg consumption in almost a decade, with little change in the figures since 2008.
Children aged 11 to 18 eating only 2.8 portions a day on average; adults consume four portions; and there are no precise recommendations for young children.
Just 27 per cent of adults, 35 per cent of over-65s and eight per cent of 11 to 18-year-olds currently eat five portions of fruit and vegetables as recommended.
When it comes to sugar intake, children in the 11-18 age bracket are also the least healthy consumers. Sugar accounts for 15 per cent of the daily diet for those aged 11 to 18 – three times the recommended amount. Adults aged between 19 and 64 are also big consumers, with 12 per cent of their diets made up of sugar.
In an effort to tackle childhood obesity, Public Health England recently announced that it would place voluntary regulations on food and drink manufacturers to reduce the sugar content of their products by 20 per cent.
But the plans drew criticism from health experts, with the British Medical Association branding the voluntary scheme “weak” and “pointless”.
The study, which surveyed 1,288 adults and 1,258 children, also showed that consumers eat too much saturated fat, excessive amounts of red and processed meat and not enough oily fish.
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