UK facing ‘nutrition gap’, with millions missing out on vital nutrients, Arla warns

The UK is facing a “hidden nutrition crisis”, with millions of people missing out on vital nutrients such as fibre, calcium, iodine and iron, while also often consuming excessive calories, new research by Arla claims.

The “nutrition gap” was most pronounced among teenage girls, with almost a fifth (18%) not consuming enough calcium during peak bone-building years, revealed the dairy co-op’s first annual ‘Plate of the Nation’ report, published this week.

A further one in three girls (29%) aged 11 to 18 consumed less iodine (important for cognitive development) than recommended, the report, drawing on the responses of almost 6,000 UK adults and children, revealed.

And despite 79% of adults saying healthy eating was important, only 53% said they ate healthily most of the time, with just 37% believing eating a healthy diet was “easy”.

Arla highlighted convenience as a key “barrier” to eating healthily, with 33% of respondents believing unhealthier food was “simply easier”, while 31% thought healthy food was too expensive, rising to higher levels among Gen Z and lower-income households.

Meanwhile, 24% admitted unhealthy food tasted better. And for children, taste was even more powerful: 98% said they wanted to eat what tastes nice, and 45% said “my favourite foods aren’t healthy”.

Tellingly, one in five adults (22%) admitted “I don’t care much about what’s in my food as long as it tastes good”. This figure rose to 30% among Gen Z and 25% among C2DE households.

“The economic reality shows that the most deprived households would need to spend around 50% of their disposable income to meet government-recommended dietary guidelines,” the dairy giant added, citing the Food Foundation’s latest Broken Plate report, also published this week.

For families with children in the most deprived households, that figure rose to 85%.

And within C2DE households, a fifth of the population “ate significantly less healthily”, with only 48% managing to do so “most of the time” compared with 56% in the most affluent group, Arla said. Healthy life expectancy – the years lived in good health – “differs by up to 19 years between the most and least affluent parts of the UK”, it pointed out.

Arla said the “systemic challenge” facing the population on nutrition “requires joined-up action across policy, industry and the wider food system”.

“Healthy diets should be available to everyone,” said Arla UK MD Bas Padberg. “This research shows a nation that understands the problem but faces structural barriers – convenience, confusion, cost and taste – that make healthy eating feel harder.”

This included “the everyday moments that shape our diets – like breakfast – where small changes can make a positive difference”, he added.

“For decades, the conversation around food has focused on what to avoid – things like sugar, salt and fat. And whilst we know that’s a public health crisis we have to address, it’s also time to look at how we can help people see what they should be eating and change the conversation around our food.”

Closing the nutrition gap was “bigger than any one company or any one policy. We need to change the environment people are navigating every day. It will take businesses, government, educators, health professionals and communities working together,” Padberg urged.

“We want to open the door to partners who share our ambition: to build a healthier, fairer food system, one that serves people, strengthens communities and delivers lasting change. This is a long-term commitment, and we’re determined to play our part.”