Diet and nutrition: data

Adults

The Scottish Health Survey collects data on diet and nutrition. According to the in 2019 data, 22% of Scottish adults (21% of men and 23% of women) ate the recommended 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables per day.  This was similar to the previous year but represents a decrease compared to 2017 (24% in total, 22% of men and 26% of women). 

In the least deprived quintile, 26% of adults were meeting daily fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines compared with only 19% in the most deprived quintile.

Comparing 2017 data from the Scottish Health Survey and Health Survey for England shows that, in each age group, a lower percentage of respondents consumed five or more portions per day in Scotland than in England in 2017.  The exception was for adults age 16-24, which was the same for both Scotland and England at 23%.  The biggest differences are seen in the 35-44, 55-64, 65-74 and 75+ age groups (consumption of five or more portions per day was at least 7% higher in England than Scotland across all of these age groups).

Children

In 2019, 14% of children (12% of boys and 16% of girls) aged 2-15 met the recommended daily intake of five or more portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Between 2008 and 2019, the proportion of children aged 2-15 consuming five portions or more of fruit and vegetables per day has been between 12% and 16%. Fourteen percent of boys aged 2-15 living in the most deprived Scottish Index of multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile met the recommendation in 2019, compared with 18% in the least deprived quintile. Eighteen percent of girls met the recommendation in the most deprived quintile compared with 16% in the least deprived. The proportion of children consuming no daily fruit and vegetables was greatest in the most deprived quintile (14%) and lowest in the least deprived quintile (4%).

Please note: If you require the most up-to-date data available, please check the data sources directly.