Shifting the dial on vegetable consumption
A new report published by KPMG from the Fruit and Vegetable Consortium (FVC*) and Medibank says eating habits worsened over the COVID-19 pandemic and recommends increased action to increase vegetable consumption. More than $200 million could be wiped from the Australian health budget if Australians ate an extra cup of vegetables each day. As well as improving health, increasing vegetable consumption will also benefit growers, regional communities, and retailers.
The report recommends:
- A national strategy to increase vegetable consumption
- Industry integration
- Programs focus on ‘affordability’
- A strategy that enables sustained national behaviour change
Over the past few pandemic-affected years, Australians ate more take-away and home delivered meals, snacked more, and ate fewer vegetables. Chair of the FVC Lucinda Hancock from Nutrition Australia says the pandemic lockdowns made the existing barriers to vegetable consumption worse, such as affordability, concern over food waste and lack of time and inspiration to prepare meals.
“Governments have a range of good strategies to improve preventative health, reduce obesity, lift health literacy and reduce food waste. A national behaviour change campaign can empower consumers with the information they need to make the right choices for themselves”, said Ms Hancock.
*FVC is a collaboration led by Nutrition Australia and AUSVEG with 10 members across the health and horticulture sectors.
Find out more here.