The UK fibre crisis: 96% of UK adults aren’t getting enough

Millions of UK adults and children are falling desperately short of the fibre they need with figures revealing adults eating barely half the recommended amount.

Wednesday 21st October 2026, London - A staggering 96% of UK adults are failing to get the recommended amount of fibre, according to the latest government figures, with the average person consuming just 16g a day - little more than half the recommended 30g.

The UK has a fibre problem and almost all of us are affected. Now, Linwoods Health Foods and GP, best-selling author and TV doctor, Dr Amir Khan are calling on the nation to wake up to the UK’s “fibre gap” and take action before poor dietary habits become a bigger threat to long-term health.

Patrick Woods, Managing Director of Linwoods Health Foods comments, “Just 4% of adults are currently hitting the recommended daily fibre intake. The picture is equally concerning among young people, with 96% of 11–18-year-olds also failing to meet daily recommendations. We have a real fibre deficit in the UK.”

Higher fibre intake has been associated with a lower risk of conditions including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Yet despite its importance, fibre remains one of the biggest nutritional gaps in the British diet. The stark figures have prompted Dr Amir Khan to urge Brits to think differently about one of the most overlooked parts of the nation’s diet.

Dr Khan comments, “Fibre is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet, yet the vast majority of adults in the UK aren't getting enough of it. Small changes to our everyday eating habits can make a real difference.”

With the average adult falling roughly 14g short of the 30g daily fibre recommendation, Linwood’s Health Foods launched Boost, a two-product range designed to make it easier to hit daily fibre and protein targets. Fibre Boost provides 8g of fibre per 20g serving and is designed to be stirred into porridge, yoghurt, smoothies or savoury dishes, two dessertspoonfuls at a time.

Dr Khan continues, “Healthy eating doesn't have to mean completely changing your diet, it's about making small, sustainable changes that work for you. Linwoods new Boost range offers a simple, convenient way to add more fibre and protein to the foods we already enjoy.”

Fibre feeds the beneficial bacteria that live in our gut, supports digestive health, helps people feel fuller for longer and plays an important role in reducing the risk of several chronic diseases.

Woods explains, “We built the Boost range around how people actually eat. Most of us know we should be eating more fibre, but finding simple ways to increase our intake can be a challenge. That's why we developed Fibre Boost to help people build more fibre into their daily routine. Each serving provides 4g of soluble fibre and 4g of insoluble fibre, making it an easy and convenient way to support daily fibre intake.”

Linwoods advises starting below the full 20g serving and building up over one to two weeks, always mixing it into food or liquid rather than eating it dry and drinking around 300ml of fluid with each serving. Other ways Brits can increase their fibre is by swapping white bread for wholegrain, adding seeds to breakfast, eating more pulses and increasing fruit and vegetables.

The Boost range is available from Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons, Holland & Barrett, Dunnes Stores, Whole Foods, Grape Tree, Ocado and Booths.
Both products are gluten free and suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets.

For further information or to order online go to www.linwoodshealthfoods.com

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Notes to Editors:
For media enquires please contact:
Emma Critchley-Lloyd or Beverley Kaye
emma@biglittlelondon.com
beverley.Kaye@factotum.com

About Linwoods Health Foods:
Linwoods is a third-generation family business based in Armagh, Northern Ireland, established in 1965. The company produces a range of plant-based health foods, including cold-milled seed blends and overnight oats, sold across UK, Irish and European markets. Its cold-milling process breaks the seed down to aid digestion while retaining the fibre and nutrients of the whole seed. All Linwoods products are gluten-free and suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

For more information visit linwoodshealthfoods.com.

The data:
Official Statistic sourced from National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2019 to 2023: report
Published 11 June 2025

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-diet-and-n...