New research suggests that many people are still not getting the necessary vitamins and minerals from their diet and may need to take dietary supplements unless they are able to radically improve their diet.
A survey by the Food Standards Agency found that while diets are slowly improving, many people are still not eating the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
The expert guidance is based on the fact that fruit and vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals, and evidence is growing that people who eat plenty are less likely to develop chronic diseases.
However, the Food Standards Agency found that only 58 per cent of respondents had eaten at least five portions the previous day.
Despite this finding, the survey suggests that a growing number of people are taking healthy eating seriously and the agency's chief scientist, Andrew Wadge, described the results as "encouraging".
New research suggests that many people are still not getting the necessary vitamins and minerals from their diet and may need to take dietary supplements unless they are able to radically improve their diet.
