Fruit [1]
Why do we study the consumption of fruit according to guidelines?
- A balanced diet plays an important role in maintaining and promoting health. The Superior Health Council provides food-based dietary guidelines [2] tailored to the Belgian population, aiming to reduce illness, premature death, and the overall disease burden caused in part by unhealthy eating habits.
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Fruit is an important source of carbohydrates (sugars), dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, water and antioxidants. They are particularly rich in potassium, vitamin C, beta-carotene and vitamin B6. Research shows that regular fruit consumption reduces the risk of certain chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
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The Superior Health Council recommends that adults consume 250 g of fruit per day, equivalent to approximately two pieces of fruit.
How do we study the consumption of fruit?
- Trained interviewers conducted two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls to record all the foods and drinks participants had consumed on the previous day. These recalls were carried out in a standardised manner using a specialised computer program (GloboDiet®).
- The intake of fruit was assessed as habitual intake (also known as usual or long-term intake), representing the average daily intake over the long term. This method accounts for natural day-to-day variations in what and how much people eat, offering a more accurate picture of typical dietary habits over time. This is particularly important when evaluating whether a population meets dietary recommendations. All intakes mentioned in the results below refer to the mean habitual intake, unless stated otherwise.
- The statistical tool Statistical Program to Assess habitual Dietary Exposure (SPADE) was used to estimate habitual intake distributions based on the short-term data collected through the 24-hour dietary recalls.
- The detailed methodology can be found here [3].
What did we include as “fruit”?
- Based on the recommendation of the Superior Health Council, “fruit”:
- includes fresh fruit, frozen fruit, fruit purée (with or without added sugar), canned fruit (in its own juice or syrup), (freeze) dried fruit, and fruit coulis;
- does not include nuts, seeds, fruit juices, fruit coated in chocolate or other coverings, salted fruit, pickled fruit, chutney or jam.
KEY RESULTS
The population aged 3 years and older eats on average 123 g of fruit per day
90% of adults do not eat the recommended 250 g of fruit per day
Older adults (65 years and above) are less likely (86%) to not meet the recommended 250 g of fruit per day than younger adults (18-64 years) (92%)
The proportion of adults who do not meet the recommended 250 g of fruit per day decreases with the level of education
The proportion of adults who do not meet the recommended 250 g of fruit per day is higher in Wallonia than in Flanders
By age and sex
Mean habitual intake of fruit (g/day) in the population aged 3 years and older, by age and sex, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Mean intake refers to the estimated mean habitual intake, calculated from two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls.
- Older adults (65 years and above) do not include those residing in care facilities, hospitalised individuals, or those who would have required significant assistance during interviews (e.g., people with cognitive impairments).
- In Belgium, the mean intake of fruit is 123 g/day among the population aged 3 years and older. The median intake is 107 g/day.
- The mean intake of fruit is 127 g/day in women and 119 g/day in men. Based on available data, it is not possible to conclude on the presence or absence of a difference by gender.
- The mean intake of fruit is higher in adults aged 65 years and older (152 g/day) and children aged 3-9 years (139 g/day) than in adolescents aged 10-17 years (102 g/day) and in adults aged 18-64 years (114 g/day).
Proportion of the population aged 18 years and older consuming less than 250 g of fruit per day, by age and sex, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Children (3–9 years) and adolescents (10–17 years) are not included, as the dietary guideline set by the Superior Health Council applies only to adults.
- Older adults (65 years and above) do not include those residing in care facilities, hospitalised individuals, or those who would have required significant assistance during interviews (e.g., people with cognitive impairments).
- 90% of the adults in Belgium do not meet the recommendation of consuming 250 g of fruit per day.
- There are no differences between men and women in meeting this recommendation.
- Older adults (65 years and above) are less likely (86%) to not meet the fruit recommendation than younger adults (18-64 years) (92%).
By educational level
Mean habitual intake of fruit (g/day) in the population aged 3 years and older, by educational level, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Mean intake refers to the estimated mean habitual intake, calculated from two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls.
- The educational level is calculated at the household level by considering the highest diploma obtained by: (i) the respondents or their partner for adults (aged 18 years and above), or (ii) the father and mother (or carer, if applicable) for children and adolescents (aged 3 to 17 years). However, for simplicity, we refer to the educational level of individuals rather than the educational level of their households.
- The mean intake of fruit in the population aged 3 years and older increases with the level of education.
- People with a high level of education have a higher mean intake of fruit (142 g/day) compared to those with a medium (128 g/day) or low level of education (106 g/day).
Proportion of the population aged 18 years and older consuming less than 250 g of fruit per day, by educational level, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Children (3–9 years) and adolescents (10–17 years) are not included, as the dietary guideline set by the Superior Health Council applies only to adults.
- The educational level is calculated at the household level by considering the highest diploma obtained by: (i) the respondents or their partner for adults (aged 18 years and above), or (ii) the father and mother (or carer, if applicable) for children and adolescents (aged 3 to 17 years). However, for simplicity, we refer to the educational level of individuals rather than the educational level of their households.
- The proportion of adults not meeting the recommended 250 g of fruit per day decreases with the level of education, from 93% for those with a low level of education to 90% for those with a medium level of education and 87% for those with a high level of education.
By region
Mean habitual intake of fruit (g/day) in the population aged 3 years and older, by region, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Mean intake refers to the estimated mean habitual intake, calculated from two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls.
- Brussels is excluded from the regional comparison due to an insufficient number of participants, but is included in the national data for Belgium.
- The mean intake of fruit in the population aged 3 years and older is higher in Flanders (131 g/day) than in Wallonia (106 g/day).
Proportion of the population aged 18 years and older consuming less than 250 g of fruit per day, by region, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Children (3–9 years) and adolescents (10–17 years) are not included, as the dietary guideline set by the Superior Health Council applies only to adults.
- Brussels is excluded from the regional comparison due to an insufficient number of participants, but is included in the national data for Belgium.
- The proportion of adults who do not meet the recommended daily intake of 250 g of fruit is lower in Flanders (89%) than in Wallonia (94%).
By year
Mean habitual intake of fruit (g/day) in the population aged 3 to 64 years, by year, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Mean intake refers to the estimated mean habitual intake, calculated from two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls.
- Adults aged 65 years and above are not included as they were not part of the target population of the 2014-2015 survey.
- The mean intake of fruit in the population aged 3 to 64 years did not change between 2014-2015 and 2022-2023 (112 g/day and 114 g/day).
Proportion of the population aged 18 to 64 years consuming less than 250 g of fruit per day, by year, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Children (3–9 years) and adolescents (10–17 years) are not included, as the dietary guideline set by the Superior Health Council applies only to adults.
- Adults aged 65 years and above are not included as they were not part of the target population of the 2014-2015 survey.
- The proportion of adults aged 18-64 years who do not meet the recommended daily intake of 250 g of fruit did not change 2014–2015 (92%) and 2022–2023 (93%).
Please cite this page as: Sciensano. Food-based dietary guidelines: Fruit, Food Consumption Survey 2022-2023, June 2025, Brussels, Belgium, https://www.sciensano.be/en/results-national-food-consumption-survey-2022-2023/food-based-dietary-guidelines/fruit [4]