The bar chart illustrates the proportion of UK males and females across seven age groups who met the World Health Organization's recommendation of consuming at least five portions of fruit and vegetables daily in 2006.
Overall, females consistently recorded higher consumption rates than males in all age categories except for those aged 75 and over, where the figures were identical. Furthermore, the 55-64 age group represented the peak for fruit and vegetable intake for both genders.
Regarding the younger and middle-aged groups, consumption started at 15% for males and 16% for females in the 19-24 bracket. These figures rose steadily, reaching 22% for males and 27% for females in the 45-54 age group. The trend peaked among those aged 55-64, where 32% of males and 34.5% of females met the daily recommendation.
Following this peak, consumption levels declined for both sexes. Among the 65-74 age group, the percentage dropped to 27% for males and 29.5% for females. Finally, for the oldest group aged 75 and above, the consumption rate converged at 25% for both males and females, marking a notable decrease from the peak levels observed in the preceding age group.