Revealing our fruit and vegetable habits
Fruit and vegetables are some of nature's super foods, packed with a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are great for your health.
Eating adequate fruit and vegetables is essential for preventing a wide variety of health conditions, including cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and renal disease. Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in place of high fat and high sugar snacks and meals can also support the achievement and maintenance of a healthy weight.
Trends relating to fruit and vegetable consumption across the Hunter New England Health region have been highlighted as part of the latest HEALTHeRESOURCE document Health Behaviour Overview titled “Recommended Fruit and Vegetable Consumption – are we eating 2&5?”.
The Health Behaviour Overview is now available online and includes information about current recommended fruit and vegetable consumption across the HNE Health region, sorted by age, sex and overall prevalence.
The release of this overview ties-in with
The overview reveals an increase was seen in the overall prevalence of recommended fruit and vegetable consumption across the HNE Health region increased between 1997 and 2008.
Data from the 2008 overview also reveals:
· Despite this increase, in 2008, just over 1 in 2 (56.6%) HNE health region residents reported consuming the recommended serves of fruit and just over 1 in 10 (12.5%) reported consuming the recommended serves of vegetables per day.
· In 2008, HNE health region females were statistically more likely to consume the recommended serves of fruit (63.4% CI 58.7-68.1) and vegetables (17.3% CI 13.8-20.8) when compared to their male counterparts (Fruit 49.8% CI 43.9-55.7 and Vegetable 7.6% CI 4.8-10.4).
· Males and persons aged 25-44 years, across the HNE health region and NSW were most likely to report low levels of recommended fruit and vegetable consumption.
Director of Health Promotion, Karen Gillham, reinforced the Federal Government’s health initiative ‘Go for 2 & 5’, which recommends a daily intake of two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables.
“The New Year represents a great time to set realistic healthy eating goals and to develop a plan for action. For more information on eating healthy, call the ‘get healthy, coaching and information service’, on 1300 806 258 (Monday-Friday 8am – 8pm),” Ms Gillham said.
To find the fruit and vegetable consumption Health Behaviour Overview, go to www.healtheresource.com.au or the homepage of the Hunter New England Health website and look for the HEALTHeRESOURCE logo.
Contact: Sharna McCarthy
Phone: 4921 4501