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No, it's not one of your five a day: Scots in a jam over their fruit preserve

Food Safety Agency says 'more work to do' on health messages

Nick Renaud-Komiya
Sunday 11 August 2013 17:18 BST
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Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the world, with 28 per cent of its population classified as obese. This puts it ahead of both Mexico and the United States
Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the world, with 28 per cent of its population classified as obese. This puts it ahead of both Mexico and the United States (Getty Images)

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While strawberries may count towards your five portions of fruits and vegetables a day, this sadly doesn't extend to jam.

Somebody should tell the Scots this, as a study from the Food Standards Agency has found that one in five people north of the border believe that the fruit preserve counts towards the five a day recommended by the government to improve life expectancy.

Dr Jacqui McElhiney, a spokewoman from the health body, told the Sunday Times, "clearly we still have work to do... when looking at our [health] messages."

Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the world, with 28 per cent of its population classified as obese. This puts it ahead of both Mexico and the United States

Figures from the Scottish government suggest that a fifth of men and almost a quarter (23 per cent) of women consume five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

This compares with 31 per cent of adults between 19 and 64 eating the recommended amount across the UK as a whole

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