The cost of living crisis is making fruit and veg a ‘luxury’ for London families

The number of adults in London eating the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables has fallen, new figures show. The Food Foundation said many UK families are having to cut back on fruit and veg during the cost of living crisis.

Office for Health Improvement and Inequalities figures based on Sport England data show that 30% of over-16s in London met the ‘five a day’ fruit and vegetable recommendation in the year to November 2023, down from 31.5% in that year. before.

London areas with the highest levels of adults meeting the recommendation were Richmond (41 per cent), Haringey (39.1 per cent) and Kensington and Chelsea (37.7 per cent). At the other end of the scale, the City of London (18.4%) had the lowest proportion of people eating enough fruit and vegetables. It was followed by Newham (21 per cent) and Barking and Dagenham (21.6 per cent).

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Evidence shows that getting at least five servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day has significant health benefits. According to the NHS, a serving of fruit or vegetables is 80 grams. In England, the rate of adults meeting the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables fell to 31% last year, down from 32.5% the previous year and 34.9% two years earlier.

Shona Goudie, Policy and Advocacy Manager at the Food Foundation, said: “Fruit and vegetables shouldn’t be a luxury for low-income households, but this is the struggle many families in the UK are currently facing.” She added that recent data from the charity shows the “severe” impact the cost of living crisis continues to have, as it suggests 60 per cent of food insecure households are cutting back on fruit and 44 per cent on vegetables.

She added: “It is essential that the government and retailers prioritize ensuring that everyone can afford and have access to a healthy diet.” The Sport England figures also show that 20.9% of adults in London were estimated to be obese last year, up from 19.7% in 2021-22 and the highest level since records began in 2015-16 . In general, 57.2% of young people over 18 in the area were overweight.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said research from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development showed the UK had the highest joint percentage of people eating five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day in the developed world.

They added: “We encourage everyone to maintain a healthy, balanced diet that includes at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day, along with plenty of fibre, whole foods.” They said the government was taking “strong action” to encourage healthier food choices and tackle obesity, while respecting the importance of individual choice.

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