The overall picture of diet in Scotland remains very poor, with fibre intake among the worst of the survey results. Diets which are low in fibre are associated with a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
The data shows that, on average, adults consumed 17.2g of fibre per day, well below the target of 30g. Men, who typically have a higher total food intake, were more likely to achieve the target (8%) when compared with women (5%).
Dr Fiona Comrie, senior public health nutrition adviser at Food Standards Scotland, commented: “FSS is already working closely with Scottish Government and industry, on areas such as mandatory calorie labelling on menus and restricting promotions of High Fat, Sugar and/or Salt (HFSS) foods, to help consumers make informed choices about their diet.
“However, fibre and fruit and vegetable intakes are still too low, and levels of free sugars and saturated fats are too high, and these are linked to an increased risk of long-term health problems. Unhealthy diets impact our health and the economy.
“Treating the conditions associated with overweight and obesity costs Scotland up to £600m/year and the cost to the wider Scottish economy are estimated to be up to around £4.6bn/year. This survey has shown that we, as a nation, are still a long way from reaching our dietary goals and there must be collective responsibility to improve the Scottish diet.”