According to Gram Research analysis, most English adults fail to follow healthy eating guidelines, scoring only 6.08 out of 12 on adherence measures. Women, older adults, and wealthier people eat healthier diets, while younger men and those with limited income struggle most. However, encouraging news emerged: dietary adherence improved by 0.30 to 0.50 points between 2008 and 2019, suggesting that public health efforts can work.
A major study of over a decade of eating habits in England reveals that not everyone follows government healthy eating guidelines equally. Researchers found that women, older adults, and wealthier people tend to eat healthier diets, while younger men and people with fewer resources struggle more. The study also found encouraging news: eating habits improved between 2008 and 2019. These findings highlight important gaps in who gets help with nutrition and suggest we need better programs to make healthy eating accessible to everyone, regardless of age, gender, or income level.
Key Statistics
A cross-sectional analysis of English adults in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2018-2019) found that average adherence to government dietary guidelines was only 6.08 out of 12, indicating that most adults fail to meet healthy eating recommendations.
Women scored 0.32 points higher than men on dietary adherence measures, while adults aged 59-68 years scored 0.93 points higher than those aged 19-28 years, according to a 2026 study of English dietary patterns.
People in the wealthiest areas scored 0.25 points higher on healthy eating adherence than those in the poorest areas, and non-white participants scored 0.42 points higher than white participants in a 2026 analysis of English diet data.
Between 2008-2009 and 2018-2019, English adults’ adherence to healthy eating guidelines improved by 0.30 to 0.50 points, suggesting that dietary quality gradually improved over the decade-long study period.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: How well English adults follow government recommendations for healthy eating, and whether different groups of people follow these guidelines differently based on age, gender, wealth, and ethnicity.
- Who participated: Adults in England who participated in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey between 2018 and 2019, tracking their food intake for 4 days using detailed food diaries.
- Key finding: On a scale of 0-12, the average person scored 6.08—barely halfway to following healthy eating guidelines. Women scored 0.32 points higher than men, older adults (ages 59-68) scored nearly 1 point higher than young adults (ages 19-28), and wealthier people scored 0.25 points higher than the poorest groups.
- What it means for you: If you’re a younger man or have limited income, you’re likely facing bigger barriers to eating healthy—not because you don’t care, but because healthy eating is harder to achieve without proper support and resources. The good news: eating habits improved over the 10-year study period, suggesting progress is possible.
The Research Details
Researchers analyzed detailed food diaries from English adults collected between 2018 and 2019. Each person recorded everything they ate for 4 days, including portion sizes. The team created a scoring system (0-12 scale) to measure how well each person’s diet matched government healthy eating guidelines, which typically recommend eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and less salt, sugar, and saturated fat.
They then used statistical analysis to compare scores across different groups—looking at age, gender, wealth level, and ethnicity. They adjusted their results to account for other factors that might affect diet, like education and employment status, to isolate which factors truly made a difference.
This approach allowed researchers to identify which groups of people struggle most with following healthy eating recommendations and where policy makers should focus efforts to improve public health.
Understanding who struggles with healthy eating is crucial for public health. If we only know the average person eats poorly, we can’t fix the problem. By identifying specific groups—like young men or people with low income—health officials can design targeted programs that actually work for those populations. This research also shows whether things are improving over time, which tells us if current efforts are working.
This study used real food diary data rather than asking people to remember what they ate, which is more accurate. The researchers adjusted for multiple factors that could influence results, reducing bias. However, the study is observational, meaning it shows associations (like ‘women eat healthier’) but can’t prove cause-and-effect. The study also relied on self-reported portion sizes, which can be imperfect.
What the Results Show
The study found that most English adults don’t follow healthy eating guidelines well. The average adherence score was 6.08 out of 12—meaning people are only halfway to meeting recommendations. This suggests that poor diet is widespread across the population, not just in specific groups.
Women performed better than men, scoring 0.32 points higher on the adherence scale. This difference, while statistically significant, is relatively modest. Age showed a stronger effect: adults aged 59-68 years scored 0.93 points higher than the youngest group (19-28 years), and those 49-88 years old scored 0.89 points higher. This means older adults follow healthy eating guidelines much more consistently than young adults.
Wealth created a clear divide: people in the least deprived (wealthiest) areas scored 0.25 points higher than those in the most deprived (poorest) areas. Interestingly, white participants scored 0.42 points lower than non-white participants, suggesting ethnic minorities in England follow guidelines better than white residents.
Encouraging news emerged when researchers looked at trends over time. Comparing 2008-2009 data to 2014-2019 data, adherence scores improved by 0.30 to 0.50 points across the decade, indicating that English adults’ eating habits gradually improved over the 10-year period.
The study revealed that the combination of being young, male, white, and poor created the worst outcomes for healthy eating. These overlapping disadvantages suggest that multiple barriers—not just one factor—prevent some groups from eating well. The improvement over time was consistent across the study period, suggesting that public health messages and food availability changes may be having positive effects.
This research aligns with previous studies showing that socioeconomic status (wealth and poverty) strongly influences diet quality. The finding that women eat healthier than men matches patterns seen in other countries. However, the finding that non-white participants had better adherence than white participants is noteworthy and may reflect different cultural food traditions or dietary priorities in immigrant communities. The overall improvement over the decade is encouraging and contrasts with some earlier research suggesting diet quality was stagnating.
The study measured diet at one point in time (2018-2019), so we can’t track individual people’s changes. The research is observational, meaning it shows which groups eat better but can’t explain why—is it access to healthy food, knowledge, time, or something else? The study only included people willing to keep detailed food diaries, which might exclude the most disadvantaged groups. Finally, portion size estimates in food diaries can be inaccurate, potentially affecting the adherence scores.
The Bottom Line
High confidence: If you’re in a younger age group, male, or have limited income, you should prioritize learning about and accessing healthy eating resources—these groups face real barriers. Medium confidence: Public health programs should specifically target young adults and lower-income communities with culturally appropriate nutrition education and food access initiatives. The improvement over the decade suggests that policy changes can work, so continued investment in these areas is warranted.
Everyone should care about these findings, but especially: young adults (19-28 years old) who need to build healthy eating habits early; men who consistently score lower than women; people with limited income who face real barriers to healthy food; and policy makers designing public health programs. Healthcare providers should be aware that their younger, male, and lower-income patients may need extra nutrition support.
Dietary changes can show health benefits within weeks (energy levels, digestion) to months (weight, blood pressure), but disease prevention benefits typically take years to appear. The 10-year improvement seen in this study suggests that population-level dietary change is slow but achievable with sustained effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do younger people eat less healthy than older people?
The study doesn’t explain why, but likely factors include: younger adults have busier schedules, less cooking experience, tighter budgets, and may not yet feel health consequences of poor diet. Older adults often have more time, established cooking habits, and health motivation from age-related conditions.
Is it harder for poor people to eat healthy?
Research shows wealthier people score 0.25 points higher on healthy eating measures, suggesting yes—but the difference is modest. Real barriers include: healthy food costs more, poor neighborhoods have fewer grocery stores, and limited time/energy for meal prep when working multiple jobs.
Are men less interested in healthy eating than women?
The study shows men score 0.32 points lower, but doesn’t prove disinterest. Possible explanations: women may receive more nutrition messaging, have different health priorities, or face different social expectations about food preparation and health responsibility.
Did eating habits get better or worse over the 10 years?
Eating habits improved. Adults’ adherence to healthy eating guidelines increased by 0.30 to 0.50 points between 2008-2009 and 2018-2019, suggesting that public health efforts and food system changes had positive effects over the decade.
What does a healthy eating score of 6 out of 12 actually mean?
It means the average person is only halfway to meeting government dietary recommendations. They’re likely eating some healthy foods but also consuming too much salt, sugar, or saturated fat, and not enough fruits, vegetables, or whole grains.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Log your meals for 4 days each month and score yourself against the government’s healthy eating guidelines (more fruits/vegetables, whole grains, less salt/sugar). Track your score over time to see if you’re improving, similar to how the research measured adherence.
- If you’re in a group that typically scores lower (young, male, or lower-income), set one specific, achievable goal: add one extra vegetable serving daily, swap white bread for whole grain, or reduce sugary drinks. Use the app to track this single change for 2 weeks before adding another goal.
- Take a monthly ‘dietary snapshot’ by logging everything you eat for 3-4 days, then review your adherence score. Compare month-to-month to see trends. Set quarterly goals to gradually improve your score, aiming to move from the 6-point average toward 10+.
This research describes associations between demographic factors and healthy eating adherence but does not prove cause-and-effect relationships. Individual dietary needs vary based on age, health conditions, medications, and personal circumstances. Before making significant dietary changes, consult with a healthcare provider, registered dietitian, or nutritionist, especially if you have existing health conditions, take medications, or have food allergies. This article is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical or nutritional advice.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.