One in three EU citizens (33%) reported in 2019 that they did not eat fruit and vegetables on a daily basis and only 12% of the population consumed the recommended five or more portions a day, with Romania being the least fruit and vegetable lovers, data published Tuesday by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat) and cited by Agerpres show.
On average, more than half of the EU population (55%) reported eating between one and four portions of fruit and vegetables a day in 2019.
Among EU Member States, the highest consumption of five or more portions of fruit and vegetables per day was reported in Ireland (33% of the population), the Netherlands (30%), Denmark (23%) and France (20%).
At the other end of the scale, in Romania only 2% of the population eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, followed by Bulgaria and Slovenia (both 5%) and Austria (6%).
Daily consumption of fruit and vegetables is higher among women than men: on average, 58% of women reported eating between one and four portions of fruit and vegetables a day, compared to 51% of men. The trend is similar for the consumption of five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day: 15% among women compared to 10% among men.