Better understand the eating habits of the French

Source : Nutriactis/Rouen-Normandie hospital

Faire la Cuisine

Summary

  • Fruit and vegetable consumption in France
  • Meat consumption in France

CREDOC is a study and research organization that allows the study of food behavior and consumption in France. The objective of this article is to present the significant changes in the eating habits of the French, collected by CREDOC

fig 1: evolution of the consumption of fruits and vegetables

Fruit and vegetable consumption in France

The National Nutrition and Health Programme (PNNS) recommends eating 5 fruits and vegetables a day. Indeed, fruits and vegetables are an essential source of vitamins, fibers and minerals that help keep the body healthy and limit the risk of many pathologies. In recent years, the consumption of fruit and vegetables has increased slightly

But only 32% of the general population follows the recommendations and consumes 5 fruits and vegetables a day

  • Also, the use of screens during meals induces a diversion of our attention (sound and visual stimuli) which is then no longer focused on food intake. This leads to a delay in satiety and an average increase of 25% in the quantities ingested.
  • Heavy consumers of fruit and vegetables consume about 6.9 servings per day, of which an average of 28% are fresh vegetables and 41% are fresh fruit. This distribution is similar in other consumer groups (Figure 2).
  • About 90% of adults do not meet the recommendations of 25g of fibre/day*
  • This is due in particular to a lack of consumption of fruit and vegetables but also of whole grain products and pulses..

Meat consumption in France

This increase in fruit and vegetable consumption can be associated with a decrease in meat consumption. Indeed, the latest figures from CREDOC highlight a decrease in the quantity (-12%) and frequency  (-15%) of meat product consumption, mainly due to a reduction in the consumption of butcher’s meat and charcuterie.

  • Per week,  the PNNS recommends limiting the consumption of cold meats to 150g and meat to 500g (excluding poultry which is to be preferred)

For more information on nutritional recommendations, please visit: