FSA publishes findings of the Low Income Diet and Nutrition Survey

Sunday 15 July 2007

New research published today by the Food Standards Agency suggests that the dietary pattern of people on low incomes is the same as the general population, although some areas of their diets are slightly worse.

Prior to the Low Income Nutrition and Diet Survey (LIDNS), which was commissioned by the FSA and involved 3,728 respondents across the UK, there had been concern that the diets of this particular group were extremely poor and factors such as restricted access to choice and a lack of confidence in cooking skills could have been preventing people from eating healthily.

However, this study did not identify any direct link between dietary patterns and income, food access or cooking skills. The diet-related problems found to affect this group are in general much the same as those facing the population as a whole (based on data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2000/01), including:

• not eating enough fruit and vegetables
• not eating enough oily fish
• consumption of too much saturated fat and sugar

Levels of obesity were found to be very high – 62% of men, 63% of women, 35% of boys and 34% of girls were overweight or obese, which mirrors the high levels within the general UK population.

The comprehensive survey, carried out over 15 months, looked at the dietary habits and nutritional status of the low income population (approximately the bottom 15% of the population in terms of material deprivation). It was commissioned by the FSA to further inform its and other Government departments’ work in the area of diet and nutrition among low income groups.

Head of Nutrition at the FSA, Rosemary Hignett, said: ‘The encouraging news from this research is that the gap between the diets of people on low incomes and those of the rest of the population is not as big as some feared.

‘It is also positive that most people in this group say they feel confident about their cooking skills, have reasonable kitchen facilities and access to large supermarkets.

‘However, the bad news is that this group – like the general population – are not eating as healthily as they could be. Poor diets can lead to chronic disease, such as heart disease and cancer, and contribute to obesity, which is on the rise. Small changes to diet can make a big difference to health so we urge everyone to think about the food that they and their family are eating.’

Economic and social factors that might affect the diets of low income groups were also considered as part of the study. Of people involved in the research, 80% said they shopped mainly at a large supermarket and most had good cooking and food storage facilities at home. With regard to cooking skills, 91% of women and 64% of men in the study claimed to be able to ‘cook from basic ingredients’.

These statistics illustrate that the access to food that people on lower incomes have and the cooking knowledge/skills they possess do not appear to be barriers to healthy eating. It appears to be about choice and the fact that people in all groups of the population are not choosing to eat as healthily as they should.

Key statistics:

• the low income population were less likely to eat wholemeal bread, but drank more sugary drinks and consumed more table sugar
• less than 10% of respondents ate the recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day – with about 20% eating less than one portion
• less than a quarter of people ate oily fish during the survey period
• adults are getting 13.4% of their energy from saturated fat, which exceeds the ‘no more than 11%’ recommendation¹
• 51% of men and 69% of women fell short of the minimum recommended intake² of dietary fibre (of 12g)
• 65% of children had a non-diet fizzy drink during the 4-day survey period.
• about two-thirds of men and women had cholesterol levels at levels associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease (above 5mmol/l)
• average daily intakes of all vitamins (apart from A and D) were above or close to the Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for all sex and age groups; the RNI is the amount sufficient, or more than sufficient, for about 97% of the people in a group

The survey looked at other lifestyle-related factors, including alcohol consumption, smoking and exercise. It found higher levels of smoking and alcohol consumption, together with lower levels of activity within this group.

A number of strategies exist within the Agency to help people achieve and maintain a healthier balanced diet. This includes giving expert advice, reformulation work, front-of-pack nutritional labelling and supporting Government activity in schools and institutions.

Using the evidence from this comprehensive study, we will consider the implications for diet and nutrition policy. Other Government departments will want to look at the study to help inform their policy making in areas of diet, nutrition and health – in particular those departments with responsibility for lifestyle issues such as smoking and drinking.