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Healthier foods are winning race against unhealthy snacks

We are constantly being told, or advised, to adopt healthier eating habits and new statistics from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) reveals that the message is finally getting through.

During the period between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2006, Britain experienced the largest increase in purchases of fruit and vegetables in the last 20 years, as shown by results from Defra's Expenditure and Food Survey.

Further evidence to suggest that Brits are becoming far more health conscious is a marked reduction in sales of confectionary and soft drinks. The figures even show a decline in purchases of alcoholic drinks both for the household and in pubs and restaurants.

Comparing 2005-06 with sales figures from the previous year, quantities of fruit and vegetables purchased for the household were 7.7 per cent higher. Overall, household expenditure on fruit rose by 12.9 per cent and expenditure on vegetables, excluding potatoes, rose by 6.3 per.

As a result of the increase in consumption of fruit and vegetables, the estimated average intake of vitamin C rose by 6.8 per cent. More fruits and vegetables also resulted in an increase in the intake of fibre, which rose by 3.4 per cent.

Another major benefit for the nation's health is a reduction in the consumption of saturated fats. Fat intake, measured by its percentage contribution to food energy intake, dropped slightly to 38.1 per cent. The energy contribution from saturated fatty acids dropped to 14.6 per cent.

The figures show that purchases of whole milk decreased by 3.8 per cent during the 12-month period whilst sales of semi-skimmed milk increased by 3.3 per cent. In all, household expenditure rose by 4.9 per cent for milk, 5.1 per cent for cheese, five per cent for eggs and 5.3 per cent for fish.

As part of the nation's new healthier diet, quantities of confectionary purchased for the household fell by 6.1 per cent, following small rises in recent years. Household expenditure fell by 7.7 per cent for confectionery and by 5.7 per cent for soft drinks.

Since the previous year, household and eating out consumption of alcoholic drink has dropped by 3.1 per cent.

Jeff Rooker, minister for sustainable food and farming, said, "These healthier trends in food purchases are promising, but we cannot be complacent and must continue to encourage these trends through healthy eating initiatives like the 5-A-DAY programme."

Rooker added, "Consumers must remember that the food choices they make can have a big difference not only to their health, but to their environment and our countryside."