Are Europeans getting their ‘five a day’?

According to Eurostat data​​ compiled under the direction of the European Commission, in 2017 just one in four people (27%) ate fruit at least twice a day across the bloc.

Survey results reveal a further 37% of the EU population ate fruit once a day that year, with the remaining 36% either eating fruit less frequently – or not at all.

While slightly fewer people ate vegetables twice a day in 2017, 40% claim to eat them on a daily basis.

Is this enough? Not according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which advocates for increased uptake of fruit and vegetables around the world.

The organisation recommends individuals consume ‘a minimum of 400 g of fruit and vegetables per day’, with double that amount said to provide increased protection against noncommunicable diseases.

Awareness surrounding the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption appears to be growing. Just last week, The Lancet​ made headlines when it published a study​​ associating 11 million deaths in 2017 with poor diet – including inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables.

The time is ripe for policymakers – in the EU and beyond – to address fruit and vegetable intake. Scroll down to find out which Member States are meeting their daily quota…and which are not.