According to a survey carried out in February 2022, **********************************, **********************, and *************** were some of the most stated changes in eating behavior compared to a year ago amongst surveyed undergraduate students in the UK. Around ********* of respondents had made at least one of these changes to their eating habits.

When surveyed in 2023, ** percent of respondents in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland stated that they were ****************************************. This was the most common change in eating habits and food-related behavior among respondents. Moreover, ** percent of respondents stated that they ************************.

This statistic shows the market share of regular and low calorie varients of dilutable soft drinks in the United Kingdom in 2023. Regular dilutables represented approximately 3.2 percent of market volumes in 2023.

In 2020, approximately 56 percent of participants from a survey conducted in the United Kingdom (excluding Scotland) stated that they have eaten out less during the last 12 months. Moreover, approximately 43 percent stated that they have eaten fewer take-out food.

This report presents information on obesity, physical activity and diet drawn together from a variety of sources for England. More information can be found in the source publications which contain a wider range of data and analysis. Each section provides an overview of key findings, as well as providing links to relevant documents and sources. Some of the data have been published previously by NHS Digital. A data visualisation tool (link provided within the key facts) allows users to select obesity related hospital admissions data for any Local Authority (as contained in the data tables), along with time series data from 2013/14. Regional and national comparisons are also provided. The report includes information on: Obesity related hospital admissions, including obesity related bariatric surgery. Obesity prevalence. Physical activity levels. Walking and cycling rates. Prescriptions items for the treatment of obesity. Perception of weight and weight management. Food and drink purchases and expenditure. Fruit and vegetable consumption. Key facts cover the latest year of data available: Hospital admissions: 2018/19 Adult obesity: 2018 Childhood obesity: 2018/19 Adult physical activity: 12 months to November 2019 Children and young people's physical activity: 2018/19 academic year

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) Rolling Programme (RP) began in 2008 and is designed to assess the diet, nutrient intake and nutritional status of the general population aged 1.5 years and over living in private households in the UK. (For details of the previous NDNS series, which began in 1992, see the documentation for studies 3481, 4036, 4243 and 5140.)

The programme is funded by Public Health England (PHE), an executive agency of the Department of Health, and the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The NDNS RP is currently carried out by a consortium comprising NatCen Social Research (NatCen) (NatCen, contract lead) and the MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge (scientific lead). The MRC Epidemiology Unit joined the consortium in November 2017. Until December 2018, the consortium included the MRC Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Cambridge (former scientific lead). In Years 1 to 5 (2008/09 – 2012/13) the consortium also included the University College London Medical School (UCL).

Survey activities at the MRC Epidemiology Unit are delivered with the support of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (IS-BRC-1215- 20014), comprising the NIHR BRC Nutritional Biomarker Laboratory and NIHR BRC Dietary Assessment and Physical Activity Group. The NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre is a partnership between Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge, funded by the NIHR.

Further information is available from the gov.uk National Diet and Nutrition Survey webpage.

This study was a follow-up of National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme (NDNS RP) participants and aimed to describe, and assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on, the diet and physical activity of people in the UK in 2020. Self-reported diet and physical activity data was collected between August and October 2020 for around 1,000 adults and children which was compared with their diet and activity data obtained at the time of their original NDNS RP interview. Data on food security, financial security and changes in dietary and health-related behaviours since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK in February 2020 were also collected in this study (but not previously in the NDNS RP) through a web questionnaire with the aim of helping to understand the context for any changes in diet and activity. Participants were also asked to complete 4 online dietary recalls over a 2 to 3 week period to assess their current diet. This was compared with their reported diet when originally assessed in the NDNS RP (on average 2 years 7 months earlier). Adults were also asked to complete a Recent Physical Activity Questionnaire (RPAQ), again to compare with their reported physical activity when originally assessed in the NDNS RP.

Latest edition information

For the second edition (September 2022), the Food Level dietary data file has been replaced with a new version, with the variable 'FoodNumber' added. An Excel format nutrient database has also been added to the study, and the documentation updated accordingly.

The main NDNS study can be found under SN 6533.

In the United Kingdom, the diet and nutritional status of the general population is
monitored by the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) programme (held at the UK Data Archive under GN 33275). Results from the NDNS surveys indicate that differences exist in food consumption and nutritional status between lower and higher social economic groups.

The Low Income Diet and Nutrition Survey (LIDNS) was commissioned to provide for the first time robust, nationally representative, baseline data on food consumption, nutrient intake and nutritional status and factors affecting these in low-income/materially-deprived consumers. Data were collected between 2003 and 2005 and the survey report was published in July 2007. The survey included over 3,700 adults and children throughout the UK and had a number of components. It collected detailed quantitative information on food consumption, which was used to assess nutrient intakes. Physical measurements (e.g. height, weight, blood pressure) were also taken, and a blood sample for analysis of nutritional status indices. Finally, information on socio-economic, demographic and lifestyle characteristics was collected in a detailed interview and assessments of physical activity and oral health were made by questionnaire.

Specific aims of LIDNS were to

• provide quantitative data on the food and nutrient intakes, sources of nutrients and nutritional status of low-income groups
• describe the characteristics of individuals with intakes of specific nutrients above or below the national average
• assess the diets of low-income consumers to determine the extent to which they are sufficiently nutritious
• evaluate the extent to which the diets of low-income consumers vary from expert recommendations
• provide physical measurements of health-related factors closely associated with diet, namely height, weight and other anthropometric measurements and blood pressure for a representative sample of low-income individuals
• measure blood indices that provide evidence of nutritional status or dietary biomarkers
• assess physical activity levels of low-income groups
• provide basic information on smoking and oral health status in relation to diet
• examine the relationship between dietary intake and factors affecting food choice in low-income groups
• examine possible relationships between diet and risk factors in later life.

Note 09/05/2013 A presentation error has been identified in the data in tables 7.1 and 7.2 originally included in this publication. The tables have been republished with corrected figures. The accompanying errata note provides more detail. The Health and Social Care Information Centre apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. Summary: This statistical report presents a range of information on obesity, physical activity and diet, drawn together from a variety of sources. The topics covered include: Overweight and obesity prevalence among adults and children Physical activity levels among adults and children Trends in purchases and consumption of food and drink and energy intake Health outcomes of being overweight or obese. This report contains seven chapters which consist of the following: Chapter 1: Introduction; this summarises government policies, targets and outcome indicators in this area, as well as providing sources of further information and links to relevant documents. Chapters 2 to 6 cover obesity, physical activity and diet and provides an overview of the key findings from these sources, whilst maintaining useful links to each section of these reports. Chapter 7: Health Outcomes; presents a range of information about the health outcomes of being obese or overweight which includes information on health risks, hospital admissions and prescription drugs used for treatment of obesity. Figures presented in Chapter 7 have been obtained from a number of sources and presented in a user-friendly format. Some of the data contained in the chapter have been published previously by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) or the National Audit Office. Previously unpublished figures on obesity-related Finished Hospital Episodes and Finished Consultant Episodes for 2011/12 are presented using data from the HSCIC's Hospital Episode Statistics as well as data from the Prescribing Unit at the HSCIC on prescription items dispensed for treatment of obesity.

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) Rolling Programme (RP) began in 2008 and is designed to assess the diet, nutrient intake and nutritional status of the general population aged 1.5 years and over living in private households in the UK. (For details of the previous NDNS series, which began in 1992, see the documentation for studies 3481, 4036, 4243 and 5140.)

The programme is funded by Public Health England (PHE), an executive agency of the Department of Health, and the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The NDNS RP is currently carried out by a consortium comprising NatCen Social Research (NatCen) (NatCen, contract lead) and the MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge (scientific lead). The MRC Epidemiology Unit joined the consortium in November 2017. Until December 2018, the consortium included the MRC Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Cambridge (former scientific lead). In Years 1 to 5 (2008/09 – 2012/13) the consortium also included the University College London Medical School (UCL).

Survey activities at the MRC Epidemiology Unit are delivered with the support of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (IS-BRC-1215- 20014), comprising the NIHR BRC Nutritional Biomarker Laboratory and NIHR BRC Dietary Assessment and Physical Activity Group. The NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre is a partnership between Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge, funded by the NIHR.

Further information is available from the gov.uk National Diet and Nutrition Survey webpage.

England Sodium Survey, 2018-2019

Estimated salt intake of adults aged 19 to 64 years in England was assessed from 24-hour urinary sodium excretion of 596 adults, selected to be representative of this section of the population and to be sufficient to detect a difference of 0.5 g of salt intake compared with the previous survey in England in 2014 (using an estimate of variation from the England 2011 and 2014 surveys - see SN 8233). Urine samples were collected over seven months (November 2018 to May 2019).

The survey was carried out by NatCen Social Research (NatCen) and the National Institute of Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (Cambridge BRC NDNS team). The latter consists of the NIHR BRC Diet, Anthropometry and Physical Activity Group and the NIHR BRC Nutritional Biomarker Laboratory hosted at the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge. The survey was funded by Public Health England.

Further information, including reports and tables can be found on the GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey-assessment-of-salt-intake-from-urinary-sodium-in-adults-aged-19-to-64-years-in-england-2018-to-2019">National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Assessment of salt intake from urinary sodium in adults (aged 19 to 64 years) in England, 2018 to 2019 webpage.

In October 2024, *** percent of surveyed consumers in the United Kingdom stated that they could not afford to eat a healthy diet. Another *** percent consumed food after its use-by-date because they could not afford more food.

The Diet and Nutrition Survey of Infants and Young Children (DNSIYC) was commissioned by the Department of Health (DH) and Food Standards Agency (FSA). The programme was carried out by a consortium of four organisations: Medical Research Council (MRC) Human Nutrition Research, based in Cambridge, NatCen Social Research, based in London, MRC Epidemiology Unit, based in Cambridge and the Human Nutrition Research Centre at Newcastle University. Fieldwork in Northern Ireland was carried out by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

The aims of the DNSIYC were to:

• provide detailed, quantitative information on the food and nutrient intakes, sources of nutrients, and nutritional status of a representative sample of infants and young children aged 4 to 18 months from the UK population, as a basis for developing government policy and measuring progress towards other government objectives
• provide detailed, quantitative information on breast milk and breast milk substitutes consumed
• describe the characteristics of participants with intakes and/or status of specific nutrients that are above and below national reference values, and evaluate the diet of this population compared to current national recommendations
• produce a database of food consumption to provide the basis for the calculation of likely dietary intakes of natural toxicants, contaminants, additives and other food chemicals for risk assessment
• provide length (height), weight and other body measurements and examine their relationship with dietary intake and status, and health and social factors
• examine the extent to which feeding practices adopted by carers differ from national policy for infant health
• provide some information on the dietary habits of the mother (and other key family members) and link this to the nutrient intakes and nutritional status of this population group
• carry out stable isotopically-labelled water assessment in sub-samples of the survey group in order to estimate breast milk intake and body composition in children consuming any breast milk, as well as fluid intake and body composition in non-breastfed children
• measure blood indices that give evidence of nutritional status and relate these to dietary, physiological and social data

This study can be used alongside data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (available from the UK Data Service under GN 33275), which covers adults and children of all ages from 18 months, to provide a fuller picture of the diet, health and food safety of the nation.

October 2013: temporary embargo ended and new edition released
For the second edition (October 2013), new versions of the day-level, food-level and person-level dietary data files were deposited. The person-level dietary file was corrected because food group values had been found to be totals from the first day, and not the mean value. It was also found that in some circumstances, water used to make up foods and formulas had not been assigned to the relevant food group (food or formula). This was corrected, which meant that the total consumption of the food groups ‘COMMERCIALTODDLERSFOODSWATER’ and ‘INFANTFORMULAWATER’ were then reduced to zero; these variables have therefore been removed from both the person-level file and the daily food groups file. The documentation variable listing has been amended accordingly. A single coding error that caused changes to the food, person-level and day-level foods has also been corrected. The user guide has also been updated.

Note, August 2011: A number of errors have been identified in Table 7.5 - GHQ 12 score by body mass index (BMI) and gender, 2008 on page 62 of the Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England, 2011 report. The errors also affect the corresponding table in the accompanying Excel workbook. The commentary in the pdf report is unaffected. Please see the errata note for further information and corrected figures. The NHS IC apologises for any inconvenience this may have caused. Summary: This statistical report presents a range of information on obesity, physical activity and diet, drawn together from a variety of sources. The topics covered include: overweight and obesity prevalence among adults and children physical activity levels among adults and children trends in purchases and consumption of food and drink and energy intake health outcomes of being overweight or obese This report contains seven chapters: Chapter 1: Introduction; this summarises Government plans and targets in this area, as well as providing sources of further information and links to relevant documents. Note, many of these were introduced by the previous government but were relevant at the time the data were collected. Chapters 2 to 6 cover obesity, physical activity and diet providing an overview of the key findings from a number of sources of previously published information, whilst maintaining useful links to each section of the reports. Additional analysis has been undertaken of the Health Survey for England (HSE) to provide more detailed information previously unpublished. Chapter 7: Health Outcomes; presents a range of information about the health outcomes of being obese or overweight which includes information on health risks, hospital admissions and prescription drugs used for treatment of obesity. Figures presented in Chapter 7 have been obtained from a number of sources and presented in a user-friendly format. Most of the data contained in the chapter have been published previously by the NHS Information Centre or the National Audit Office. Previously unpublished figures on obesity-related Finished Hospital Episodes and Finished Consultant Episodes for 2009/10 are presented using data from the NHS Information Centre's Hospital Episode Statistics as well as data from the Prescribing Unit at the NHS Information Centre on prescription items dispensed for treatment of obesity.

According to a survey carried out in April 2020, it was found that 40 percent of Brits reported that they were eating more since the coronavirus lockdown started, while 20 percent overall said they were eating healthier than before. Around half of the respondents said they had been eating about the same quantity as before the lockdown and eating similar healthiness levels of food. The latest number of cases in the UK can be found here. For further information about the coronavirus pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.

This statistical report presents a range of information on obesity, physical activity and diet, drawn together from a variety of sources.

The topics covered include:

• Overweight and obesity prevalence among adults and children

• Physical activity levels among adults and children

• Trends in purchases and consumption of food and drink and energy intake

• Health outcomes of being overweight or obese.

This report contains seven chapters which consist of the following:

• Chapter 1: Introduction; this summarises government policies, targets and outcome indicators in this area, as well as providing sources of further information and links to relevant documents.

• Chapters 2 to 6 cover obesity, physical activity and diet and provides an overview of the key findings from these sources, whilst maintaining useful links to each section of these reports.

• Chapter 7: Health Outcomes; presents a range of information about the health outcomes of being obese or overweight which includes information on health risks, hospital admissions and prescription drugs used for treatment of obesity.

• Figures presented in this report have been obtained from a number of sources and presented in a user-friendly format. Some of the data contained in the chapter have been published previously by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). Previously unpublished figures on obesity-related Finished Hospital Episodes and Finished Consultant Episodes for 2012-13 are presented using data from the HSCIC's Hospital Episode Statistics as well as data from the Prescribing Unit at the HSCIC on prescription items dispensed for treatment of obesity.

The last national survey of diet and nutrition in adults was the Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults carried out in 1986/87 (held at UKDA under SN 2836). The changes in eating habits and lifestyles noted in that survey have continued throughout the intervening years. Increasing numbers of people are travelling and taking holidays abroad, and with increased multi-culturalism this has led to a greater variety of foods available. Increasing demands on people's time and longer working hours have led to greater demand and availability of pre-prepared and convenience foods. There has also been an increase in eating outside the home. There was a need, therefore, to assess the impact of such changes on diet and nutrition among adults, to update the findings of the 1986/87 Adults Survey and to complete the NDNS cycle by conducting a survey on adults aged 19 to 64 years.

The survey of adults aged 19 to 64 years aimed to collect data on diet through a questionnaire and a seven-day weighed intake record for a nationally representative sample living in private households in Great Britain. The study also included a seven-day bowel movement record, a seven-day physical activity diary, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, a 24-hour urine sample and a blood sample. The Food Standards Agency nutrient databank, which is used to convert food weights into nutrient intake, has also been deposited with this study.

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) Rolling Programme (RP) began in 2008 and is designed to assess the diet, nutrient intake and nutritional statusof the general population aged 1.5 years and over living in private householdsin the UK. (For details of the previous NDNS series, which began in 1992, see the documentation for studies 3481, 4036, 4243 and 5140.)

The NDNS RP is funded by Public Health England (PHE), an executiveagency of the Department of Health, and the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) andis carried out by a consortium comprising NatCen Social Research (NatCen) and MRC Elsie Widdowson Laboratory (MRC EWL), formerly known as MRC Human NutritionResearch (HNR). Fieldwork in Northern Ireland is carried out by the NorthernIreland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
The NDNS RP provides the only source of high quality, nationally representative UK data on the types and quantities of foods consumed by individuals, from which estimates of nutrient intake for the population are derived. Results are used by Government to develop policy and monitor progress toward diet and nutrition objectives of UK Health Departments, for example work to tackle obesity and monitor progress towards a healthy, balanced diet as visually depicted in the Eatwell Guide. The NDNS RP provides an important source of evidence underpinning the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition's (SACN) work relating to national nutrition policy. The food consumption data are also used by the FSA to assess exposure to chemicals in food, as part of the risk assessment and communication process in response to a food emergency or to inform negotiations on setting regulatory limits for contaminants.

Further information is available from the gov.uk National Diet and Nutrition Survey webpage.