Majority of British women are not meeting guidelines on diet and nutrition

(18/03/2010)

Current recommendations are that everyone should eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day to reduce the risks of cancer, coronary heart disease and many other chronic diseases. The reality in the UK is that only 11% believe they actually achieve their 5 a day in a week.

While increasing fruit and vegetable consumption remains a national priority, a new international survey has revealed the extent to which people are not meeting government guidelines on diet and nutrition in the UK.

The 2010 survey for Herbalife, revealed that 60% claimed their job or lifestyle made it too difficult to eat their 5 a day, despite accepting the benefits of balanced nutrition, while only 24% took nutritional supplements just in case.

While the most recent trends data suggest that women achieve more portions per day than men, this latest survey actually shows that women find it more difficult than men to include the recommended number of portions a day into their diet.

Women are notoriously more prone to stress eating than men and are more likely to develop unhealthy habits such as snacking on high sugar, high fat snacks when they juggle life or work long hours. More women than men blamed the expense of budgeting for 5 a day even though 93% of all women respondents considered the associated health benefits to be important.

But then there was still some confusion about what the government’s recommendations actually constituted. Over 75% incorrectly believed that eating 5 pieces of fruit would qualify. Dinner was considered to be the meal of least importance to both men and women in achieving 5 a day. Snacking was considered to be the most important with over one third seeing it as the most important way of getting their 5 portions a day.

Says Gavin Aley at Herbalife, “It’s clear that with today’s busy lifestyles most people still struggle to achieve their 5-a-day through fruit and vegetables. Real life demands a fast, simple, convenient alternative and that’s where nutritional supplements can help to support a healthy, balanced diet”.

Related categories:  Diets   Health supplements 

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