Scots are still shunning veggies

A shocking 9% of Scots eat no vegetables in their daily diet and only 8% are eating five or more portions of veggies a day, a survey has revealed.

The figures are in stark contrast to statistics in the south, where only 3% of those in London are failing to eat any vegetables. Nationally only 10% of those surveyed were tucking into five or more portions of vegetables a day and a shocking 6% were eating no vegetables at all, the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT) has discovered.

The disturbing findings come more than 10 years since the 5-a-day campaign was launched by the Government. BANT says the results of the survey are extremely concerning as a healthy intake of vegetables should be closer to 7-a-day with just a couple of portions of fruit.

BANT Chair Miguel Toribio-Mateas said: “The message to eat more vegetables is a serious one. Research has shown a correlation between mortality rates and lower consumption of these types of foods.

"The consumption of vegetables is particularly important – they help our bodies to gain the nutrients we need to function. The idea that fruit and vegetables are interchangeable is no longer supported by current evidence, with vegetables being much more nutrient-dense than fruit, gram per gram. Long term deficiencies in these nutrients can lead to all sorts of health problems. Fruit contains valuable nutrients, but it can be high in sugar, so we have to be careful how much fruit we eat, alas eight pieces of fruit and one vegetable portion a day would not be an ideal fruit/vegetable spread.

"Some people just need a bit of inspiration to help change their diets for the better, others need help navigating their way around medications and serious health conditions, but some simple changes could have a very positive impact on so many lives. Changing the way you eat in the long term can prevent debilitating health conditions in the future and save lives, and there is help out there,” he added.

The YouGov survey suggests that the East of England is the ‘healthiest’ region in the country for getting their 5-a-day, though even here only 13% hitting the Government guidelines. Respondents in the North East and South West had the poorest intake of vegetables, with just 6% consuming their 5-a-day or more.

The survey also showed that you were more likely to consume more vegetables the older you got – 7% of 18 to 24-year-olds consumed five or more portions of vegetables a day, rising to 11% of over 55s. And it showed that only 4% of students consumed five or more portions of vegetables a day compared with 10% of those who work.

BANT, which is the professional body for nutritional therapists and those working in nutritional science, commissioned the survey as part of its Diet for Life campaign – encouraging people to make changes to eat healthily for life and not just after Christmas.

Mr Toribio-Mateas added: “Healthy eating isn’t something we should be doing for a couple of weeks in January out of guilt to try to purge ourselves of the festive excess. We are encouraging people to try nutritional therapy to get themselves on the right track for 2014. Everyone is different and everyone has different health issues or needs. Nutritional therapy offers a personalised approach to health and nutrition – as well as some great advice on how to get those veggies into your diet every day, for life.”

How to get more veggies in your diet:

• Snack on carrot, pepper or broccoli sticks and hummus instead of crisps or cereal bars
• Add a portion of broccoli, cabbage or carrots alongside dishes that don’t traditionally have veggies with them – pasta or curry
• Potatoes don’t count as veggies, so reduce the amount of potatoes on your plate and increase the number of colourful vegetables
• Have a salad with your sandwiches at lunch
• Use leftover vegetables to make a veggie soup

Regional Survey Results
Those who eat five portions of vegetables or more every day:
North East – 6%
North West – 11%
West Midlands – 11%
East Midlands – 8%
Yorkshire and The Humber - 10%
London - 8%
East of England – 13%
South East - 11%
South West - 6%
Wales - 10%
Scotland - 8%

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,222 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 11th - 13th December 2013. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

About BANT
BANT is the professional association for nutritional therapy practitioners and those working in the wider application of nutritional science. It promotes high standards of education, training, practice and integrity in the nutrition profession.

BANT has access to more than 2,000 nutritional therapists across the country, so we can always
provide expert comment for the media on nutrition-related matters.

Nutritional therapists are trained to help clients to make dietary changes which promote good
health and wellbeing, in developing nutrition plans, recipes and shopping ideas, functional and
genetic testing, recommending supplements, and overall lifestyle management.