What do we know about fruit and vegetable consumption in the UK? Trends from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme (NDNS RP)

Abstract

Increased fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption is a public health nutrition priority. NDNS provides the only source of representative data on diet, nutrient intakes and nutritional status for the UK population. Combined data from the first 4 years of NDNS RP enables extensive characterisation of FV consumption patterns including distribution by age, sex, time and income. Also, disaggregation of FV from composite dishes provides improved estimates for total intake in relation to the UK's “5‐a‐day” public health target.We have shown that whilst overall FV consumption falls below 5‐a‐day, the proportion meeting the target increases with age. Exploratory analysis also shows that consumption of 4 portions/day is more frequently achieved (16‐56%), however a large proportion of the population still falls below this. In the under‐65y population, FV consumption is significantly lower in all age/sex groups with the lowest income compared with those with highest income.This work highlights the relevance of tracking FV consumption in population nutrition surveillance. Identification of groups where consumption is particularly low enables targeted public health nutrition initiatives and continuous monitoring of impact. Disaggregated FV data also provides opportunities to further investigate health effects through more refined information on consumption patterns and eating habits which is important for refining such initiatives. The NDNS datasets offer potential for robust comparisons of the UK's FV consumption with other countries. Table 1: Comparison of disaggregation and non‐disaggregation methods of calculating “5‐a‐day” FV portions for NDNS Years 1‐4 (2008‐12); comparison with non‐disaggregated results from NDNS of adults 19 to 64 years (2000‐01). Age group (years) and sex Boys Men Girls Women 11‐18 19‐64 65+ 11‐18 19‐64 65+ NDNS Years 1‐4 (2008‐2012): Disaggregation method Number of portions 3.0 4.1 4.7 2.8 4.1 4.6 % achieving 5‐a‐day 11 30 40 7 30 41 NDNS Years 1‐4 (2008‐2012): Non‐disaggregation method Number of portions 2.6 3.4 3.7 2.6 3.5 3.6 % achieving 5‐a‐day 9 18 19 6 17 19 NDNS of adults aged 19‐64 years (2000‐01): Non‐disaggregation method Number of portions ‐ 2.7 ‐ ‐ 2.9 ‐ % achieving 5‐a‐day ‐ 14 ‐ ‐ 15 ‐ NDNS RP methods and headline results are published via web‐based reports and data are available via the UK Data Archive.