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Action on Salt

National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Years 9 to 11 (2016 to 2017 and 2018 to 2019)

Published:

The latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), 2016/2017 to 2018/2019, has been published asseessing the UK general populations diet, nutrient intake and nutritional status. 

Sodium

Sodium intake was collected in a separate NDNS survey in March 2020 in which it was found the mean salt intake for adults was 8.4g per day, 40% higher than the recommended maximum of 6g per day.  

Table 1. Top contributors of sodium 

Free Sugars

The latest NDNS shows a slight decrease in the amount of free sugars contributing to children’s and adults daily calorie intake, however all age groups are still consuming twice as much as the maximum recommendation of 5%.  

Table 2. Free Sugar RDA and latest NDNS (2016-2019) average free sugar consumption results 

Soft Drinks

All age groups reduced the amount of soft drinks consumed apart from those who are aged 75 years and over, and a decrease in sugar and chocolate confectionery in those aged 11 – 18 years.  

Table 3. Top contributors of free sugars by age group 

Total Fat

All age and sex groups exceeded the recommendation (those aged 5 years and over) of consuming no more than 33% total energy from total fat. There was either no change or a slight increase in fat intake in all age groups, apart from children aged 11 – 18 years who decreased their fat content slightly. 

Table 4. Top contributors of total fat by age group 

Saturated Fat

The survey also showed that the UK population are still consuming too much saturated fat (over 10% of their total energy coming from saturated fat), which not much change from the last NDNS survey.  

Table 5. Top contributors of saturated fat by age group 

Fruit and Vegetables

There was little change in the number of portions of fruit and vegetables consumed in all age groups, but there was a slight increase in the percentage of children/adults consuming their 5 a day. 

Table 6. Number of portions consumed and % of children/adults consuming their 5 a day by age group 

Fibre

Unfortunately, no age group met the government recommendations for fibre intake. 

Table 7. Recommended intake of fibre, average amount of fibre consumed and % of children/adults consuming the recommended intake by age group 

 

Read the full report here

 

 

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