Less than a quarter of British people manage to eat the recommended “five a day” portions of fruit and vegetables, research suggests.
The Department of Health first launched its five-a-day campaign in 2003. But the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) says its survey of more than 2,000 UK adults shows people still find achieving that goal difficult.
Only 17 per cent of people in low-income households incorporate the suggested amount into their diet compared to 27 per cent in higher-income groups, the found.
Consumption varied slightly around the country with 18 per cent of people in the north of England meeting the quota, compared to 26 per cent in the south, the survey of 2128 adults found.
The figures show that many are still finding it difficult to eat healthily, a spokeswoman for the charity said.
“Getting at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day is the building block of a healthy diet,” WCRF head of education Kate Mendoza said.
A diet based on plant foods, such as whole grains and pulses as well as fruit and vegetables, can reduce cancer risk as research shows they protect against a range of cancers. Recent research has confirmed that foods containing fibre reduce the risk of bowel cancer.
A lot of WCRF’s work focuses on raising awareness of the importance of diet, physical activity and body weight in relation to cancer risk. Although people are more aware of the significance of eating ‘five a day’ than they used to be, it is clear that there are still barriers to incorporating plant foods into our daily diets.”
A spokeswoman for the charity said it commissioned the survey to coincide with Cancer Prevention Week, which starts on Monday.
Source MSN News
