Four out of five Australians failing to eat their greens

Australia’s largest ever fruit and vegetable survey has found that only one in five Australian adults are eating enough fruit and vegetables.

The Fruit, Vegetables and Diet Score Report found one in two (51%) adults are not eating the recommended intake of fruit, while two out of three adults (66%) are not eating enough vegetables.

Produced by the CSIRO and commissioned by Horticulture Innovation Australia, the report compiled the dietary habits of adults across Australia over an 18-month period. The survey is the largest of its kind ever conducted in Australia, with 145,975 participants nationwide.

The report describes a sample of Australian adults who have completed the CSIRO Healthy Diet Score online survey — a scientifically validated food survey designed to assess compliance with the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADGs) and Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGTHE).

The CSIRO says the results indicate that most Australians are not as healthy as they think, and need to eat higher quantities and a greater variety of fruit and vegetables every day to meet the minimum Australian benchmark. Adults are recommended to eat at least three serves of different vegetables every dinnertime to help meet the benchmark.

“For a country with an abundance of high-quality, locally grown fruit and vegetables available all year round, it’s disappointing so many Australians are missing out and not enjoying enough variety in their diets,” said John Lloyd, CEO Horticulture Innovation Australia, who said Australian growers were adapting to the consumer’s need for convenience by bringing high-quality fresh produce from the farm to the table in ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat packaging.

Women reported slightly better fruit and vegetable consumption with 24% meeting both guidelines, compared with only 15% of men surveyed.

Construction workers and those in the science and programming sector recorded the poorest fruit and vegetable eating habits, while retirees and health industry workers were more likely to meet the recommended dietary guidelines.

The report also found that the CSIRO Healthy Diet Score (which measures overall diet quality on a scale of zero to 100) is positively correlated with fruit and vegetable intake. In other words, adults who ate more fruit and vegetables also have the highest diet scores.

“Diets high in fruit and vegetables have been shown to improve psychological and physical markers of wellbeing. In particular, phytochemicals from fruit and vegetables reduce systemic inflammation which can lead to chronic disease,” said CSIRO’s Professor Manny Noakes.

To find out how your diet stacks up, complete the CSIRO Healthy Diet Score survey — a free online questionnaire which evaluates diet quality and identifies individual areas of improvement, as well as providing a personal diet score out of 100.

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