Press release -
New research from Arla Fibre reveals nation's diets are stuck in a rut
New research released by Arla Fibre today reveals that the nation’s diets are stuck in a rut, with nearly two thirds (61%) of us* eating the same or similar foods every day. Brits cite their daily routines (47%) and lack of time (21%) as the main culprits for their predictable eating habits. It’s no surprise therefore that seven out of 10 (70%) of us wish we could vary our diets more easily.
Worryingly, the poll of 2000 adults also revealed that 45% of us believe that we don’t get the nutrition we need from food as a result of our monotonous meal times, with three quarters (76%) of us wishing it was easier to get the nutrition we need from our existing diets. Despite wishing this, almost nine in ten (85%) Brits don’t know how much of each food group they should be eating each day, with vitamins (25%) and iron (17%) believed to be the food groups that were lacking the most.
People in Yorkshire and Humber are the fussiest eaters, with two fifths (40%) citing their fussy nature or dislike of trying new things as the main reason for their tedious teatimes. In comparison, Scotland, is the most adventurous region, with 94% of Scots interested in trying new foods. People in Wales are the most time poor, with over a quarter (28%) blaming boring diets on their busy schedules, compared with just 14% of people in the North East.
The research, released to mark the launch of Arla Fibre, a new range of tasty yogurts containing 4.7g of fibre per 150g serving, also reveals that whilst 94% think it’s important to have fibre in their diet, only 6% of us, know that we’re supposed to eat 30g of fibre every day. NDNS data**, however, shows that fibre – so often overlooked as a food group – is lacking in most of our diets, with a ‘fibre gap’ of, on average, 12g per person per day.
TV doctor, Dr Ranj Singh, said: “It’s clear that our busy lifestyles are causing meal times to become repetitive, but with a few simple swaps, we can add more colour and excitement into our diets whilst also ensuring we get enough of the different food groups we need to stay healthy. The simple rule that most people already know is always opt for brown over white when it comes to bread, rice and pasta, but there are so many more ways to get more fibre in your diet that people don’t consider. For instance, always keeping the skin on vegetables and swapping your regular yogurt for new Arla Fibre.”
James Quayle, Brand Manager, Arla Foods, said: “On average, the UK population only eats about 18g of fibre a day, so when the UK Government released their 2015 guidelines advising that adults should eat 30g of a fibre, we realised just how much we are lacking from our diets.It’s no surprise that we’re struggling to get enough fibre, when traditional fibre-rich foods can be so bland and uninspiring, so here at Arla, we set out to change all that and created a tasty yogurt which equates to 16% of the 30g recommended by the UK Government in each 150g serving. And best of all… you can’t taste the fibre at all!”
For simple fibre swap tips, watch a film showing how easy it is to increase your fibre intake or find out more about the delicious new Arla Fibre range, visit http://www.arlafoods.co.uk/fibre.
#GetFussed
* 2,000 adults polled by 72 Point in March 2018
** https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey
ENDS
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Arla Foods is a global dairy company and co-operative owned by 11,200 dairy farmers with circa 2,400 of whom are British.
Dating back to 1881, Arla’s purpose is to secure the highest value for its farmers’ milk, while creating opportunities for their growth. With production facilities in 11 countries and sales offices in a further 30, Arla is the world’s fifth largest dairy company and largest supplier of organic dairy products. Arla has a total of more than 18,000 colleagues and its products are sold under the well-known brands Arla®, Lurpak® and Castello® in more than 100 countries.
Arla Foods UK is the largest dairy company in the country and is home to leading dairy brands Anchor®, Arla Cravendale®, and Arla Lactofree® with a turnover of €2.9 billion. The UK is largest market within the Europe Zone, contributing 35% of the zone’s turnover and also comprises 25% of the Group revenue.
As well as being a leading supplier of fresh milk, number one in butter, spreads and cream, Arla is the UK’s largest cheese manufacturer. It has also built the world’s largest fresh milk facility located at Aylesbury that later this year will become the first net zero carbon site of its kind. The UK business has a team of approximately 3,500 colleagues located at its dairies, creameries, distribution centres and head office.
