FSA news
FSA National Diet and Nutrition Survey -
sugars than in previous surveys. However, there is obviously a
way to go before we are meeting all the Government’s dietary
a revealing insight into the nation’s diet
recommendations.
‘Good nutrition is important for health and poor diet accounts
Results from the first year of the new National Diet and Nutri-
for a large percentage of premature deaths. We now need to
tion Survey (NDNS) suggest that the UK population is eating
build on the indications of positive change we have observed in
less saturated fat, less trans fat and less added sugar than it
this survey. By continuing our programme of campaign work and
was 10 years ago.
encouraging product reformulation in key areas such as saturat-
Saturated fat intakes in adults have dropped slightly to
ed fat, we will hopefully observe further improvements over the
12.8% of food energy, compared with 13.3% in 2000/01, and
next few years of the programme.’
men and children are eating less added sugar.
The population’s trans fat intakes have also fallen slightly
About the survey
and are now at 0.8% of food energy, which is well within
The NDNS is commissioned by the FSA and the Department of
recommended levels. And, on average, adults are eating
Health to provide nationally representative data on the dietary
4.4 portions of fruit and vegetables a day with over a third of
and nutritional status of the UK population.
men and women now meeting the ‘five-a-day’ guideline. The NDNS rolling programme is being carried out by a con-
However, despite these encouraging indications, intakes of sortium of organisations led by the National Centre for Social
saturated fat are still above the recommended level of 11 per- Research, with the MRC Human Nutrition Research and Depart-
cent of food energy intake, and at 12.5%, population intakes ment of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Royal Free and
of added sugars still exceed the recommended 11 percent. University College London Medical School.
The research shows that the overall picture of the diet Fieldwork for the first year of the programme was undertaken
and nutrition of the UK population is broadly similar to previ- from February 2008 to March 2009.
ous surveys in the NDNS series carried out between 1992 The NDNS rolling programme is a continuous cross-sectional
and 2001, although there are suggestions of positive chang- survey of the food consumption, nutrient intakes and nutritional
es. Importantly though, the findings do not identify any new
status of people aged 1.5 years and older, living in private house-
or emerging nutritional problems in the general population.
holds in the UK. It is carried out in all four countries of the UK and is
Other findings include:
designed to be representative of the UK population. The pro-
gramme was commissioned in 2006 by the FSA, with a contribu-
• People are still not eating enough fibre, which is essential
tion to funding from the Department of Health in England.
for healthy digestion. Current average intakes are 14g per
In its previous format, the NDNS programme comprised a
day for adults, some way below the recommended 18g.
series of cross-sectional surveys, each covering a discrete age
• Consumption of oily fish, which is the main source of
group. The programme was set up in 1992 and surveys of pre-
beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, remains low. Both adults
school children, young people, and older people were carried
and children are eating well below the recommendation
out in the 1990s, with the most recent NDNS of adults aged 19 to
of one portion per week.
64 years carried out in 2000/01.
• Iron intakes among girls aged 11 to 18 years and women
Following a review of the dietary survey programme in 2003,
are still low in many cases – which can lead to iron defi-
the FSA’s Board agreed, in principle, that future NDNS surveys
ciency and anaemia. However, overall, vitamin and min-
should be carried out on a rolling basis to strengthen the ability to
eral intakes among the population are slightly improved.
track changes in diet and nutrition over time.
The Agency’s ‘eatwell plate’ illustrates what a balanced and
Gill Fine, Director of Consumer Choice and Dietary
varied diet looks like. A healthy diet is based on starchy foods
Health at the FSA, said, ‘The results from the first year of our
such as bread, cereals, rice and pasta and also contains lots of
new NDNS rolling programme provide us with an interest-
fruit and vegetables, some protein-rich foods like meat, fish and
ing snapshot of the nation’s diet and will allow us to track
lentils and some dairy foods. Foods high in saturated fat, sugar
emerging trends over future years. The evidence from this
and salt should be eaten less often and the Agency advises
and from further surveys will help us and other government
people to check labels and pick the healthier options whenever
departments formulate policy to address the issues that
possible.
have been raised.
‘It’s good news that the survey suggests around a third of
For further information on the FSA’s work on nutrition and
the population is eating five portions of fruit and veg each
healthy eating, and advice on healthy eating can be found
day and it’s encouraging to see that these initial findings
at www.food.gov.uk/science/dietarysurveys/ndnsdocuments/
suggest slightly lower intakes of saturated fat and added
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6 NHDmag.com Mar '10 - issue 52
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