24 Healthy Eating
results showed that more women than men stated that they tried to avoid
fat and cholesterol, tried to eat more fiber, avoided red meat, and were more
likely to eat fruit daily; men and women were similar in their use of salt.
Thus, the women in this sample reported more healthy eating practices
than the men. The results also provided insights into the different dietary
practice across the different European countries. Overall, there was most
variability between countries in terms of eating fiber, red meat, fruit, and
salt. Fat consumption seemed to vary the least. Those in countries such as
Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Denmark ate the most fiber, while
those in Italy, Hungary, Poland, and Belgium ate the least. Students in
Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Portugal, and Spain ate the most
fruit, and those in England and Scotland ate the least. Further, the young
adults in Belgium and Portugal made fewest attempts to limit red meat,
while those in Greece, Austria, Norway, and Iceland made more attempts.
Finally, salt consumption was highest in Poland and Portugal and lowest
in Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. In sum, this survey indicates that the
diets of young adults across Europe could be improved, although women
generally have healthier diets than men, and that young adults in some
countries have adopted some, although not all, of the recommended healthy
dietary practices.
In 2001 a similar large-scale survey was carried out to assess the diets
of young people aged 19 and 24 years in the UK (Food Standards Agency
and Department of Health, 2000 –2001). The results from this survey
indicated that 98 percent consumed fewer than the five portions of fruit
and vegetables recommended per day (an average of 1.6 portions). They
consumed more saturated fat than is recommended and more sugar,
mostly from fizzy drinks which had increased from 3– 4 cans of fizzy drinks
per week in 1986–1987 to 8–9 cans per week in 2000–2001. Their diets
were also deficient in vitamin D, vitamin A, and iron (again, particularly
for women). Therefore, young people’s diets are not matching the recom-
mended intakes and are particularly high in saturated fat and sugar and
low in fruit and vegetables.
Adult dietsUnfortunately, again there exists no global standardized assessment of
adults’ diets. However, there are more local surveys that have explored the
diets of people aged between 19 and 64 in different countries. One large-
scale survey in 2001 in the UK (Food Standards Agency and Department