FSS publishes report on dietary intake in Scotland

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has published a report on diet in Scotland, which used an online tool to collect dietary intake data and compare with dietary recommendations. The report provides detailed dietary intakes from a representative sample of 1,053 people living in Scotland and forms part of FSS’s dietary surveillance programme to assess dietary intakes in Scotland against the Scottish Dietary Goals (SDGs).

In key findings from the report: 

• Reported intakes of saturated fat (12.8%) and non-milk extrinsic sugars (11.9%) need to reduce to meet the SDGs. 
• Reported fruit and vegetable intake (2.9 portions per day) and fibre intake (15.9g per day) need to increase to meet the SDGs. 
• Reported intakes of total fat (33.8%) meet the SDG.

As this is a new methodology for monitoring diet in Scotland, it is not possible to compare directly with previous FSS dietary surveillance, however the results are broadly aligned with findings of other surveys which demonstrate that the majority of the SDGs are not being met and the FSS believe that diet in Scotland needs to change.

Source: FSS, 17 December 2020