Health written question – answered at on 2 December 2005.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health
(1) what the average daily calorie intake was of children under 16 years in the last year for which figures are available;
(2) what the average daily calorie intake was for children (a) five years ago, (b) 10 years ago, (c) 20 years ago and (d) 30 years ago.
The most recent information available on the average daily energy (calorie) intake of children is shown in the following table and is taken from the 1992–93 national diet and nutrition survey of children aged 1½ to 4½ years and the 1997 national diet and nutrition survey of young people aged four to 18 years which is shown in the table. There is no earlier or more recent comparable data available.
Energy Intake (kcal/day) | ||
---|---|---|
Age (years) | Male | Female |
1½–4½ | 1,172 | 1,108 |
4–6 | 1,520 | 1,397 |
7–10 | 1,777 | 1,598 |
11–14 | 1,968 | 1,672 |
15–18 | 2,285 | 1,622 |
Notes:
1.Data from Gregory J, Collins DL, Davies PSW, Hughes JM & Clarke PC. National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Children aged 1½ to 4½ years. Volume 1: Report of the diet and nutrition survey". HMSO (London: 1995).
2.Data from Gregory J, Lowe S, Bates CJ, Prentice A, Jackson LV, Smithers G, Wenlock R & Farron M. National Diet and Nutrition Survey: young people aged 4 to 18 years. Volume 1: Report of the diet and nutrition survey" (2000). TSO (London: 2000).
This lack of trend data was the major driver behind the Food Standards Agency's decision to set up a new rolling programme of national diet and nutrition surveys. The rolling programme will cover all ages from 1½ years upwards and will provide more frequent data for children and other age groups, so strengthening the ability to track changes over time. The first results from the rolling programme should be available from 2008–09.
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