UK fails to meet basic dietary guidelines, new survey flags

The UK is still failing to meet basic dietary guidelines, according to analysis by The Food Foundation based on the nation’s latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS). The survey covers 2019–2023 and offers a “vital snapshot of diets” during a period shaped by COVID-19 and the cost-of-living crisis. 

The latest NDNS data shows several worsening trends, despite a methodology change preventing exact comparisons to previous years. Fruit and vegetable consumption is falling to “even lower levels.”

Only 9% of 11–18 year-olds meet the five-a-day target, the lowest of any age group. No age group meets the recommendation.

The data also flags a correlation between fruit and vegetable intake and income, with the most deprived children eating almost one less portion of fruits and vegetables a day than the least deprived children.

“That so few in the UK are achieving the government’s basic dietary requirements for good health is an urgent call to action for our government. We need a national Food Strategy that improves access to healthy and sustainable diets — particularly for the lowest-income households,” urges Holly Cooper, Food Foundation research lead.

Cooper adds that such a strategy is needed for the government to deliver on its promises to “raise the healthiest generation of children ever,” halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest, reduce child poverty, end the need for food banks, and reach Net Zero goals.

Fiber intake rates are concerning

Fiber intake is also critically low in the UK, with The Food Foundation analysis underscoring just 4% of adults aged 19 or over meeting the recommended intake.

Fiber intake is critically low in the UK, with analysis underscoring just 4% of adults aged 19 or over meeting the recommended intake.Moreover, only 1% of women aged 65 and over are meeting the recommended 30 g per day. The report says women generally consume less fiber than men, and even among men aged 65–74, only 8% meet recommendations.

The rates of fiber underconsumption among children are also high: 78% for ages 18 months to three years, 86% for ages four to 10 years, and 96% for ages 11–18.

The NDNS notes that fiber is crucial for preventing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, and “must become a priority for government intervention.”

A recent report found that low fiber consumption can also lead to the buildup of high-risk plaque in coronary arteries, which can trigger blood clots and cause heart attacks.

Mixed results on meat and sugar

The survey shows a decline in red and processed meat consumption among men. On average, both men’s and women’s consumption is now falling within the recommended level of 70 g a day — roughly two slices of bacon.

However, this average “masks a significant issue,” as a large proportion of people, particularly men and boys, are still eating well above safe levels of red and processed meat.

Nearly one in three (27%) of men between the ages of 19–64 and 22% of boys aged 11–18 eat more than 90 g per day.

There is some good news on sugar, as consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks has dropped significantly for children between the ages of 11–18, which The Food Foundation says may be partly attributable to the impact of reformulation taxes.

However, it warns that overall sugar intake remains far too high. The recommended maximum for free sugars is 5% of daily energy intake. However, 95% of those aged 11–18, 92% aged four to 10, and 73% aged 18 months to three years did not meet this.

The data indicates that most eating happens at home, accounting for 87% of eating occasions between 2019 and 2023. However, 12% of calories consumed come from out-of-home food. A concern is that 23% of adults report buying food from “fast food or takeaway outlets,” with this figure rising to 30% among 11–18-year-olds.