The bar chart illustrates the proportion of men, women, and children in the UK who consumed the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day from 2001 to 2008.
Overall, the percentage of individuals meeting the daily dietary guideline increased for all groups until around 2006, after which a slight decline was observed. Throughout the entire period, women consistently had the highest consumption rates, followed by men, while children had the lowest.
In 2001, just under 20% of children consumed five portions daily, compared to approximately 22% of men and 25% of women. Over the following years, all three groups saw a steady rise in healthy eating habits. Women’s figures peaked at around 35% in 2006, with men reaching roughly 30% and children climbing to just under 25%.
After 2006, however, the percentages for all groups experienced a gradual decline. By 2008, the proportion of women consuming five portions had decreased slightly to around 30%, while men fell to about 26%, and children to approximately 22%.
In summary, although the overall trend was upward until 2006, a minor drop occurred thereafter. Women remained the most likely to meet the daily fruit and vegetable intake throughout the period, while children remained the least likely.