Few people eat five portions of fruit and veg daily
|
If people in the UK followed dietary guidelines then around 33,000 lives a year could be saved, research suggests
Heath experts in the UK advise people to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables, no more than 6g of salt, and to keep saturated fat to 10 per cent of total energy intake each day.
Researchers have found that eating the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables is the most beneficial to people’s health yet few people stick to these guidelines, with people in Scotland and Northern Ireland consuming the least.
Professor Peter Scarborough, from Oxford University, who led the research, found that many people across the country do not follow the government’s guidelines.
It is disappointing that so many people decide not to abide by the health guidelines as it could have a major impact on disease, decreasing cases of life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease, strokes and cancer.
Professor Scarborough said, ‘Meeting dietary recommendations would have a massive effect on the health of the nation.’
The study was also co-funded by the British Heart Foundation.
Victoria Taylor, a senior dietician from the British Heart Foundation, said, ‘This research highlights that well worn dietary message – like eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day – shouldn’t be overlooked, because they could have a huge impact on our health.’
By Lauren King
| 
Win a pair of coloured contact lenses!
Win two anti-ageing beauty products by Judith Williams!