Icelanders Love Sugar, Not So Keen On Fruits And Vegetables

Icelanders eat more sugary foods and fewer fruits and vegetables than other Nordic peoples. At the same time, they also eat more fish and drink less alcohol.

RÚV reports that these results are a part of a pan-Nordic poll, the Icelandic version of which was conducted by the Directorate of Health. The latest poll was conducted in 2014, while the one previous was done in 2011.

While for the Nordic average, the percentage of people who eat unhealthy foods went from 18% to 22% between polls, in Iceland those percentages went from 19% to 25%. The consumption of candy, chocolate, cakes and soft drinks increased in Iceland, whereas it decreased in other Nordic countries with the exception of Sweden, where such consumption remained the same. At the same time, Icelanders eat fewer fruits and vegetables than other Nordic peoples, the consumption levels of which did not change between polls, and the consumption of whole grains actually decreased.

On the other hand, fish consumption was greatest in Iceland amongst Nordic countries, at levels unchanged between polls.

Where other health matters are concerned, Icelanders drink less alcohol than other Nordic peoples, while Danes drank the most. Danes also smoke the most tobacco amongst Nordic peoples, while Swedes smoke the least.

In all, 4,949 children from the ages of 7 to 12, and 17,775 adults from the ages of 18 to 65, all took part in the poll.