Only 1 in 100 Brits eats a healthy diet
No matter how much information we get about a healthy diet, it seems that most of us don't pay enough attention.
Why is our diet in the news again?
Fewer than 1 in 100 Britons eat a healthy diet, according to a new study. A massive 99.2% of us fail to meet the five key targets set out by the World Health Organisation
What are these 5 targets?
There are acceptable levels for saturated fats, total fats, fruit and veg, salt and sugar. Failure to meet these targets puts people at risk of problems like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
How much should we be eating?
Most people should know about the five-a-day portions of fruit and vegetables, but it seems that only 1 in 8 people eat the recommended amount.
When it comes to salt, only 1 in 4 eat the right amount - no more than 1 teaspoonful a day for an adult.
The targets for fat and sugar content are also missed by a long way. Only 18% of people eat the right amount of saturated fat, which is no more than 15% of daily energy needs.
At least it's just adults getting it wrong
If only that was the case. Children seem to be doing just as badly. A recent survey carried out in Scotland found that less than 2% of kids eat the correct amount of sugar and saturated fat.
And with figures showing that at least 4 million kids are obese, things look set to get much worse.
What do the experts say?
'These new figures are very worrying, although they don't surprise me,' said nutritionist Dr Joanne Lunn. 'The consequences of a poor diet are chronic disease in later life.'
And Joanne also admitted that many people need to change the way they think about food. 'There's a big mental hurdle that people have to overcome. We need to change people's preconceptions, such as that healthy food is more expensive.'
- Last week's news: Why sun damage is still a problem
More help and advice
- Chat: Is it impossible to eat well? Talk to others
- Get the facts about obesity
- What does 5-a-day look like?
- Find out more about heart disease
By Rob Mansfield
Average rating:
