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As many as 200,000 children in England
and Wales have eaten
either no fruit or no vegetables in the past week.
The poll of nearly 3,000 schoolchildren
aged 11 to 16 showed that 6% had eaten no fruit in the past
week, while 5% had eaten no vegetables. The survey was commissioned
by The Cancer Research Campaign.
On average, children
in the survey were eating less than 13 servings of fruit or
vegetables a week, much less than the 35 portions
recommended by nutritionists and the government.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables
can protect against cancer. While cancer is a disease that
generally affects older people, it is so important to lay
the foundations of a healthy lifestyle early on.
Carrots and sweet corn were the most
popular vegetables among surveyed children, with over half
picking one of these from a list as the vegetable they like
most. Sprouts were by far the least favorite.
Reuters
London, November 6, 2001
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