Brits get the nutrition message but are slow to reset
Three-quarters of Brits recognise that immune health is compromised by bad diets, according to a report commissioned by the Health and Food Supplements Information Service (www.hsis.org), yet there are worrying signs that our diets are way off track, putting immune health under strain this winter.
The report – Immune Health: Micronutrients Under the Microscope – reveals that many Brits badly need a nutrition reset with food portions out of control, comfort eating rife and immunity nutrients such as vitamin D and iron in decline.
Key findings from the HSIS report show:
- More than a fifth of respondents (21%) have been advised by healthcare professionals to change their diet to lose weight.
- Intakes of vital immune-supporting nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin D, B vitamins and iron, have declined over the last decade.
- Almost half (48%) say they have no idea what the Government’s Eatwell Guide advises.
- Around two-thirds (64%) of adults don’t take a vitamin D supplement.
- Only half are actively following advice to eat more fruit and vegetables.
- Three in five (60%) don’t pay attention to recommended portion sizes or portion control.
One of the report’s authors, GP Dr Gill Jenkins, says: “Good nutrition is essential for optimal immunity but, as far as our diets are concerned, key pieces of the puzzle are missing. Vitamins A and C from fruit and vegetables and iron from red meat, beans and green veg are lower than ideal for some age groups, while most adults don’t take a vitamin D supplement as recommended.
“Fish intakes are also too low, leading to a massive shortfall in omega-3 fats, which help the body to calm down potentially dangerous levels of inflammation produced during an immune response.
“Supplementation has been shown to improve several specific aspects of immune health, particularly where deficiencies exist.”
Other findings of note in the report include:
- One in ten toddlers and primary school children don’t get the recommended amount of vitamin A. All children under 5 should be given vitamins A, C and D according to the government.
- Nine in ten women of childbearing age have low blood levels of folate. Vegans are vulnerable to low vitamin B12 intakes as they consume no animal foods.
- In studies of older people, vitamin C deficiency levels ranged from 14-26%, with men at greater risk. New research suggests we may need four times the current vitamin C recommendation to fight respiratory viruses.
- People from ethnic minority groups are at very high risk of vitamin D deficiency, with figures ranging from 43% deficiency to 66%. In the general population, around 17% are vitamin D deficient.
- Almost half of teenage girls lack iron, and dietary levels have fallen in the past decade, probably as a consequence of the shift away from red meat consumption.
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