Nine in 10 older children miss 5-a-day target

MORE than nine in ten older children do not eat five daily portions of fruit or vegetables, a charity has warned.

Only 8 per cent of 11- to 18-year-olds achieve the recommended target, World Cancer Research Fund found.

Overall, these youngsters eat 2.8 portions each, with 8 per cent of boys managing their five-a-day compared with 9 per cent of girls, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey figures show.

The charity, which has launched website www.wcrf-uk.org/realrecipes, said the figures were ‘seriously worrying’ as a diet low in fruit and veg can increase risk of lung, mouth, pharynx and larynx cancer in later life.

Just 29 per cent of adults aged 19 to 64 have five portions, compared with 36 per cent of over-65s. A recent study in the International Journal of Epidemiology found that ten portions a day could significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. While five a day still cut risk, the highest benefits were seen when people had ten.

Sarah Toule, of World Cancer Research, said: ‘These figures are seriously worrying, so we decided to do our bit to encourage people of all ages to fill up on healthy, homemade dishes featuring lots of fruit and veg.’