HC Deb 04 July 2003 vol 408 c538W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of(a) men, (b) women and (c) children who eat five portions a day of fruit and vegetables. [122463]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The Health Survey for England in 2001 estimated that 24 per cent. of men, 28 per cent. of women and 13 per cent. of children ate five portions or more of fruit and vegetables a day. One portion is 80 grams (it is estimated that eating at least five portions a day of a variety of fruit and vegetables would reduce overall deaths from chronic diseases by a fifth).