Teenage girls in the UK are on average only eating half of their recommended daily portions of fruit and vegetables, potentially putting them at risk of developing long-term health problems, according to an official study.
The UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey, published yesterday (22 July) by the country’s department of health, found that due to the low consumption of fresh produce, only 56 per cent of adolescent girls were getting enough iron in their diet.
Although both teenage boys and girls are failing to get their recommended five-a-day portions of fruits and vegetables, researchers concluded that girls eat on average half a portion less each day than boys.
With most still consuming far too many products high in saturated fats and sugar, the report said that a generation of girls were storing up a number of potential health problems for later life, such as heart disease and some cancers.
No comments yet