The UK’s unhealthy eaters

New research among more than 2,000 adults has examined the UK’s eating habits, revealing how different parts of the country compare when it comes to fast food consumption, takeaway deliveries, restaurant visits and ‘food porn’ selfies. The survey found:

• London is home to the worst eating habits – the capital ranked topped for the number of people who at least once a week would eat fast food (39%), ready meals (48%) and takeaways (32%).  Londoners were also the most likely to eat in restaurants on a weekly basis (30%), consume leftovers (31%) and take photos of their food to share on social media (20%)
• Just 13% of people in Northern Ireland say they typically eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, the lowest proportion of all 11 regions
• Wales was also high on the list when it came to ready meal consumption (2^nd), failure to eat five fruit and veg each day (2^nd) and fast food intake (3^rd)
• 11% of UK adults said they eat reheated leftovers from a takeaway or restaurant visit at least once a week.  The figure jumps to a massive 30% in London, and 22% in the Midlands

When it comes to explaining why the UK eats so many ready meals and takeaways, PharmacyOutlet.co.uk’s survey also revealed that:

• 26% of UK adults opt for these food options because they are too busy to cook
• Meanwhile, 13% (6.7 million) say they actually do not know how to cook
• Only 27% of people monitor their daily food intake – such as calories, fats and salt levels

The UK’s high streets are filled with restaurants, takeaways and convenience stores selling ready meals, but just how often do consumers visit these places?

PharmacyOutlet.co.uk has commissioned research to discover the truth behind the nation’s eating habits.

The independent, nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 UK adults reveals which regions eat the most fast food, ready meals, takeaways, restaurant grub and reheated leftovers. It also explored the parts of the country that are the worst offenders when it comes to not getting their five portions of fruit and veg each day, and who is the most likely to put a pictures of their dinner up on social media.

Here are the results:

Hitesh Dodhia, Superintendent Pharmacist at PharmacyOutlet.co.uk, commented on the research: “From curries to Chinese, fish and chips to pizza, the UK loves its fast food and takeaways. But this research illustrates just how often busy Brits resort to takeaways, ready meals, restaurants and leftovers to satisfy their appetite.

“While there is nothing wrong with eating out or having food delivered from time to time, it must form part of a balanced diet, and it’s concerning to see how few people – just 26% – actually consume five portions of fruit and veg a day. The public must be wary of the fat and salt content of restaurant food and takeaway meals; failure to do so can cause serious health concerns, as well as generally effecting energy levels and the way both the body and mind perform,” he said.

Visit PharmacyOutlet.co.uk to find out more about their insights.