Healthy diets by improving foods: is the glass half full or half empty?

Abstract

There are few people in The Netherlands who adhere to the dietary guidelines of the Health Council. Most dietary patterns consist of too little fruit, vegetables, fish and fiber, and too much salt, sugar and saturated fat. We eat an average of nine grams of salt per day; half times more than the recommended maximum intake. More than 90% of the population consumes too much saturated fat. An adult person eats an average of 120 grams of sugars a day. Research has shown that an unhealthy diet is a major risk factor for several chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.