Healthy
eating self-assessment
Are you a healthy eater?
We all know that eating healthily is a good
thing but what does it mean and where do you start?
Take this short test to see whether you're a
healthy eater or could improve your eating patterns. Your results will include lots of tips and useful links.
Please choose the answers that most closely reflect your typical
behaviour.
Tips you might wish to consider appear in italics
QUESTIONS
1.
You are running late in the morning
and haven’t eaten breakfast yet. What do you do?
a) Skip it,
you regularly do (2 points)
Eat
breakfast. It helps you refuel and people who eat it tend to be healthier than
those who don`t
Find out about healthy breakfasts
b) Make two pieces of white toast
with jam and eat them on the way (1 point)
Switch
to wholemeal toast, it will provide more nutrients
and fibre
Find out about healthy breakfasts
c) Throw some sliced banana on a
wholegrain cereal with skimmed milk (0 points)
By
eating a healthy breakfast you improve your chances of being a healthy weight
and boost your energy levels
d) Eat a bowl of sugar-coated cereal with
whole milk (1 point)
Switch
to wholegrain cereal and semi-skimmed milk. The cereal will provide more
nutrients and fibre, and there’s less fat in
semi-skimmed milk than whole milk
Find out about healthy breakfasts
Make a healthy breakfast
A good breakfast has a lot of health benefits and can be
quicker and easier than you might think.
People who eat breakfast every day tend to be healthier
and slimmer, as they're not tempted to eat an unhealthy snack
mid-morning. And research shows that children who eat breakfast
perform better on standard attainment tests (SATs) and have fewer behavioral
problems in school.
A healthy breakfast could consist of
wholegrain cereals or breads, fruit, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, and 100% fruit
juices. You could also try hard-boiled eggs, low-fat yoghurt, or low-fat bran
muffins.
2. It’s time
for your morning break. What do you opt for?
a) A cup of coffee and a chocolate bar (1
point)
Swap
sugary snacks for fruit or nuts. They`re a healthy source of energy and count
towards your 5 A DAY
b) A cup of tea and two homemade oatmeal
cookies (1 point)
c) A glass of water and an apple (0
points)
d) A glass of fruit juice with a piece of
fruit (0 points)
e) A canned drink and a packet of crisps (1 points)
Try
to swap the snacks like crisps for healthier options like fruit, nuts or rice
cakes
3. How many portions of fruit and
vegetables do you eat on a typical day?
0 (2 points)
Fruit
and veg are a vital source of vitamins and
minerals, so it`s important you eat more than you do
1 (2 points)
Fruit
and veg are a vital source of vitamins and
minerals, so it`s important you eat more than you do
2 (2 points)
Fruit
and veg are a vital source of vitamins and
minerals, so it`s important you eat more than you do
3 (1 point)
Fruit
and veg are a vital source of vitamins and
minerals, so it`s important you eat more than you do
4 (1 point)
Fruit
and veg are a vital source of vitamins and
minerals, so it`s important you eat more than you do
5 (0 point)
Try
to include a variety of fruit and veg in your diet to
get the maximum nutritional benefits
6+ (0 point)
Try
to include a variety of fruit and veg in your diet to
get the maximum nutritional benefits
What counts
as your 5 A DAY?
Almost all fruit and vegetables count towards your 5 A
DAY. Fresh, frozen, chilled, canned, 100% juice and smoothies all count, as do
dried fruit and vegetables.
Potatoes and other related vegetables such as yams and
cassava do not count. Also, fruit juice and dried fruit only count as one
portion no matter how much you drink or eat.
One portion is equivalent to 80g of fruit or vegetables,
roughly one handful.
4.
When you grab a drink on the go, what is it most likely to be?
a) A
fizzy soft drink (1 point)
Swap
sugary drinks for more water or fruit juice
b) A
squash or a juice drink (1 point)
Swap
sugary drinks for more water or fruit juice
c) A fruit juice (0 point)
d) A glass
of water (0 point)
e) A
smoothie (0 point)
Understanding
what’s in a drink
A fizzy soft drink will often contain large quantities of
added sugars and very few nutrients. Try to keep these to a minimum and swap
them for water, milk or milkshakes with no added sugar.
Fruit juices and smoothies also contain a lot of vitamins
that are good for our health, but it is best to drink these with a meal because
they also contain sugar that can damage your teeth.
5. You’re heading for lunch with friends.
What would you be most likely to choose?
a) Fried egg and bacon sandwich with something
sweet like a doughnut or chocolate (2 points)
Cut
the saturated fat in your diet. It can raise your cholesterol level and increase
your risk of heart disease.
b) A green salad without dressing (0 point)
c) Pizza topped with sweetcorn and green peppers (1 point)
Keep
an eye on the level of saturated fat in your diet, especially in dairy products
like cheese.
d) Burger and chips with a fizzy drink (1
point)
Cut
the saturated fat in your diet. It can raise your cholesterol level and
increase your risk of heart disease.
e) Grilled
chicken, new potatoes and green salad (0 points)
By
picking healthy options such as grilled food you`re reducing the levels of
saturated fat in your diet
f) Jacket potato with cheese and baked beans
(0 points)
Keep
an eye on the level of saturated fat in your diet, especially in dairy products
like cheese
More on eating a balanced diet
Types
of fat in food
Saturated fats are contained in high levels in foods like
pies, meat products, sausages, cakes and biscuits and can raise
cholesterol.
Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, can lower
cholesterol and provide us with the essential fatty acids needed to stay
healthy. Oily fish, nuts and seeds, avocados, olive oils and vegetable oils are
sources of unsaturated fat.
6. How many glasses of water do you
drink per day?
a) 8+ (0 points)
b) 7 to 8 (0 points)
c) 5 to 6 (0 points)
d) 3
to 4 (1 point)
Drink
more water; about eight glasses a day is recommended.
e)
1 to 2 (1 point)
Drink
more water; about eight glasses a day is recommended.
f) None (1 point)
Drink
more water; about eight glasses a day is recommended.
7. Tonight, you're ordering a takeaway
with friends. What would you be most likely to choose?
a) Mushroom,
sweetcorn and pepper pizza with extra cheese
and garlic bread
Opt
for the healthiest option when you eat takeaways. For example, always choose a
thin pizza base. Deep pan is packed with fat. Choose lower-fat toppings and ask
for extra vegetables. And avoid extra cheese!
b) Crispy
sweet and sour pork or vegetables with special fried rice
Opt
for the healthiest option when you eat takeaways such as steamed dishes or stir
fries. Avoid anything that’s battered as that means it’s deep fried.
c) Prawn or vegetable stir fry
with steamed rice
d) Fish and chips
Try
to make your takeaways healthier. Peel off the batter - that can contain around
350 calories alone on an average portion of cod
e) Spicy chicken with beans and rice
f) Chicken or vegetable korma with pilau rice
Try
healthier takeaway choices, avoiding anything that’s creamy. Dry curries such
as tandoori chicken or vegetables are good options
How to order a healthy takeaway
8. What are you most likely to choose
when picking a dessert?
a) Cream doughnut (1 point)
Cut
down on some of the dairy products with a high
saturated fat content, like cream cakes. Eating too much saturated fat is
linked to heart disease
b) Home made apple crumble with
custard (0 points)
Continue
to enjoy homemade food. This way you know exactly what sugars and salts you are
eating.
c) Fresh fruit salad with yoghurt
(0 points)
You
already know that dessert is a great time get one of
your fruit portions into your day
d) Sticky toffee pudding (1 point)
Consider
they amount of sugars in your diet. When we eat more "energy
foods" than we burn, we put on weight
Find out about reading food labels
e) Piece of fruit (0 points)
You
already know that dessert is a great time get one of
your fruit portions into your day
RESULTS
0-3 points
Based on your answers today you're
eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. Well done!
3-6 points
Based on your answers today some areas
of your diet could be improved. Making some small changes now could help your
long-term health.
6-50 points
Based on your answers today some areas
of your diet need to be improved quickly to reduce the chances of long-term
health problems such as obesity or heart disease.
NHS Choices 2011