FAMILIES now plan their meals on a daily basis whereas grandma planned a week ahead.
This was one of the research observations delivered to International Horticultural Congress delegates from Professor of Behavioural Science Tony Worsley, Deakin University, Victoria.
His address at the opening session on the second day of the Congress was entitled: “Pulling fruit and vegetables back from extinction in the marketplace”.
The phrase was based on the perception that with fewer people consuming them, vegetables may become an endangered species.
Mr Worsley spoke on his research which looked at the health benefits of regular vegetable consumption and why people are eating less than they used to.
While his data showed that all Aussies could do with more vegetables and fruit in their diets, there was a distinctly worrying trend of children not consuming vital amounts.
“I have heard of instances of some children having never tasted a vegetable,” Mr Worsley said.
His figures showed that 41 per cent of Australian children consume a diet that is energy dense and nutrient poor, consisting of high amounts of snack foods and sugary drinks.
The information is backed up by recent Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Australian Health Survey data which showed Australian teenagers and young adults consume more soft-drink, burgers and chips than any other age group.
The ABS figures showed that on a typical day in Australia, one in four teenage males consume a burger compared with around only one in 14 for the whole population.
It found one in five males within this age range also consume chips compared wit only one in seven across the whole population.
Professor Worsley research looked at the buying habits of households, particularly in preparation for the evening meal, one that has traditionally contained vegetables.
One encouraging figure was that 72pc of Australian families still prepare the evening meal at home, although the decision on what will be eaten is done on a daily basis, rather than being planned weekly.
He suggested three ways of arresting the decline in fruit and vegetable consumption.
The first was to engage with consumers more, appeal to their emotions and also provide education on proper meal preparation.
His research showed most people can only cook four or five different meals, done cyclically, interspersed with dining out or “takeaway” meals.
His second strategy was directed at the fresh produce industry. He said it needed to partner with health, environmental and consumer organisations to create a more cooperative supply chain.
This also included developing new products and engaging in marketing strategies if needed.
Finally, he suggested government involvement was required to allow primary industries to better market their products.
He said governments should also consider an education campaigns, and stick to them.
He said there were numerous examples of governments getting behind healthy eating movements only to drop them after three or four years once the “photo opportunities” had faded.
