Am I likely to be deficient in my essential nutrients?

Significant new research by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Department of Health has revealed that most people in the UK may not be getting the essential nutrients they need from their diet to maintain their health. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) - the largest dietary survey of its kind in the UK - showed that:

• On average men only eat 2.7 portions of fruit and vegetables and women only eat 2.9 portions a day. This decreases further in the 19-24 year age group with only 4% of women and no men having the recommended 5 portions of fruit & vegetables a day
• The majority of people in the UK are not getting their recommended daily allowance of many essential vitamins and minerals
• The most common vitamins and minerals that people are missing out on include: vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc
• Other evidence indicates that most diets are low in selenium as many crops are grown on selenium-depleted soils.
  

Vitamins and minerals are so essential for our health that the Government set targets for intake of the vitamins and minerals that are key to our health.