News

The Health Survey for England (HSE) is part of a programme of surveys commissioned by The NHS Information Centre for health and social care, and carried out since 1994. The study provides regular information that cannot be obtained from other sources on a range of aspects concerning the public’s health and many of the factors that affect health. Each survey in the series includes core questions and measurements, as well as modules of questions on specific issues that vary from year to year.

The HSE 2007 included a general population sample of adults and children, representative of
the whole population at both national and regional level.  The primary focus of the Health Survey for England in 2007 was knowledge and attitudes about key aspects of lifestyle: smoking, drinking, eating and physical activity. Some of the key results are:

• about a quarter of adults aged 16-64 thought they knew the current recommendations for physical activity, but when asked how much physical activity they thought people their own age should do, fewer than one in ten specified a level equivalent to the Chief Medical Officer's minimum recommended target.
  
• most boys and girls aged 11-15 perceived themselves to be either very or fairly physically active compared with other people their age. Approximately two-thirds of those in the lowest activity group thought they were very or fairly physically active compared with others.
• more women than men knew that five portions of fruit and vegetables should be eaten each day. When presented with a list of options 14 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women correctly selected the option that represented a portion of fruit or vegetables and selected no other options.
• 63 per cent of boys and 73 per cent of girls aged 11-15 knew that five portions of fruit and vegetables should be eaten each day. However, only 22 per cent of boys and 21 per cent of girls this age could correctly identify what a portion was from a list of options.
• approximately nine in ten adults had heard of units of alcohol. However, fewer adults knew what the recommended maximum daily intake was - 35 per cent of men and 43 per cent of women had heard of units but said that they didn't know what the recommendations were for their sex.
  

The survey was reported by the BBC and other media. To see the BBC news piece click here.

To read the full survey results go to www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/hse07healthylifestyles