Government report shows increased success in five-a-day target

The Department of Health has announced the publication of a report showing the increased success of the number of children achieving their target of eating five portions of fruit or vegetables a day.

Published this week, the paper reveals a 13 per cent increase over the past two years in children reaching their “five-a-day” goal, with the government forecasting that this improvement could result in reduced incidence of heart disease, stroke and cancer in later life.

The report found that the key factor driving this increase in the consumption of fruit and vegetables from November 2004 to November 2006 has been improvements made to meals eaten in schools.

Ben Bradshaw, health minister, said: “Children eating more fruit and vegetables each day and reaching their five-a-day is excellent news.

“Several surveys now point to a significant rise in fruit and vegetable consumption across all sectors of the population linked to increased awareness of eating five-a-day and the importance of a healthy diet.”

He added that the school fruit and vegetable scheme is a key initiative that underlines the dedication of the government to promote healthy eating in schools, giving young people the chance to try new foods and become used to incorporating fruit and vegetables into their daily diet.

In January 2007, the government responded to a public accounts committee report on tackling childhood obesity, noting that the issue is a complex one that does not offer simple solutions but instead requires coordinated long-term efforts.