Finnish youth diet remains unhealthy with low intake of key foods, survey finds

A new survey by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare reveals that teenagers and young adults in Finland continue to eat poorly, with significant gaps in vegetable, fruit, and fish consumption, raising concerns over health and environmental sustainability.

Finnish teenagers and young adults are still eating far less healthily than national recommendations advise, according to a new survey by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, or THL. The agency said the pattern is worrying not only for health but also for environmental sustainability, because young people are eating too little of the foods it says should make up a larger share of the diet. THL said the findings point to a food environment that does not do enough to support better choices.

The survey found that vegetables, berries, fruit, whole grains, legumes and fish are all under-consumed, while red and processed meat are eaten in excess. THL said national guidance calls for at least 500 to 800 grammes of vegetables, berries and fruit a day, yet average intake among young people is only about half that amount. Just 5 per cent of respondents met the recommendation, with girls generally doing better than boys when intake is measured against energy consumption. At the other end of the scale, boys were far more likely than girls to exceed the advised weekly limit of 350 grammes of red and processed meat.

Peppi Haario, a senior researcher at THL, said the results show a need to encourage more vegetables, berries, fruit, whole grains, legumes and fish, while cutting back on red and processed meat. Suvi Virtanen, a professor, said regular meal patterns and a varied diet are important for wellbeing, growth and development, and warned that risk factors such as overweight and chronic inflammation can begin in childhood and adolescence. THL said the gaps in diet between boys and girls, and between different educational groups, suggest that health inequalities begin early and should be tackled during the teenage years.

The survey also highlighted clear differences between students in vocational education and those in lower and upper secondary school. Vocational students were more likely to eat less fruit and berries, more meat and processed meat, and to consume more energy drinks. THL said the study, carried out during the 2024-25 academic year in 22 municipalities, involved young people aged 12 to 20, with 1,975 taking part in dietary interviews and 1,839 completing a background questionnaire. The government has said the research is intended to support policy on health, sustainable nutrition, healthcare, school meals and the food industry.