Alarming statistics are revealed in DEFRA’s recently published Family Food Survey 2011 (1) – an annual report providing detailed statistical information on purchased quantities, expenditure and nutrient intakes derived from both household and eating out food and drink.
The good news is that UK average energy (calorie) intakes from household food are declining, consistent with the longer term downward trend since the mid 1960s. However the percentages of energy derived from sugars and saturated fats have hardly changed since 2010 – and continue to exceed the Dietary Reference Values, which are set as recommended maximum levels. Findings relating to sodium (salt) are also mixed: intakes are on a downward trend (good news), but they are still a whopping 84% above the recommended maximum of 6g/salt/day for adults, excluding table salt!
Bad news also that spending on fruit and vegetables has declined. The survey found that since the food price increases of 2007, fruit and vegetable buying has reduced by 10% across all UK households, but more worryingly it has reduced by 22% in those in lower income households. UK households purchased an average of 4.0 portions of fruit and vegetables per person per day in 2011, while households in the lowest income group purchased an average of 2.9 portions of fruit and vegetables per person per day – well below the target of 5 A DAY, and that’s before any food waste is factored in. On a more positive note, the percentage of home-grown fruit and vegetables has been increasing gradually since 2008, accounting for 5% of fresh fruit and vegetables entering UK households in 2011 – lets hope this Grow Your Own trend continues!
And finally, less really is more…on average, UK households purchased 4.2% less food in 2011 than in 2007 while spending 12% more. Yet another statistic highlighting the growing pressure on family food budgets, a problem which is unlikely to go away any time soon (2).
References / Links:
1. DEFRA (2012) Family Food 2011.[Internet] Available at:http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/files/defra-stats-foodfarm-food-familyfood-2011-121217.pdf
(Family Food 2011 is a report on the 2011 Family Food Module of the Living Costs and Food Survey. It provides detailed statistical information on purchased quantities, expenditure and nutrient intakes derived from both household and eating out food and drink. Data is collected for a sample of households in the United Kingdom using self-reported diaries of all purchases, including food eaten out, over a two week period. Where possible quantities are recorded in the diaries but otherwise estimated. Energy and nutrient intakes are calculated using standard nutrient composition data for each of some 500 types of food.)
2. PhunkyFoods (2012) Blog – Is Britain in Nutritional Recession.https://www.phunkyfoods.co.uk/blog/2012/11/21/is-britain-in-nutritional-recession/