Japan’s Health Ministry’s latest annual National Health and Nutrition Survey showed that 38 percent of those aged 20 and older did not consume a single bit of fruit on the day of the poll. Zero consumption ratios were higher among younger age brackets: 61 percent for those in their 20s, 55 percent for thirtysomethings and 53 percent for those in their 40s.
The survey looks into what the subjects ate on a given single day. This way the figures do not represent the ratios of those who shun fruit throughout the year. The findings were clear evidence that many Japanese are not in the habit of eating fruit. Like vegetables, eating fruit is not only essential for reducing the risk of lifestyle-related illnesses; it also plays a major role in the preservation of overall health.
Earlier this year, the health ministry set a numerical target of 200 grams per day for fruit intake under the third term of its “Health Japan 21” program, which is set to start in 2024.
