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The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food funded the project increasing vegetable and fruit consumption between 1994 and 1996. The project was carried out in three phases comprising a nationwide survey of attitudes towards increasing fruit and vegetable intake, a community‐based intervention trial and a workplace intervention trial. This paper reports qualitative data from focus group work with participants of the phase 2 community intervention describing some of the realities and challenges associated with achieving five a day in a free‐living setting.

This paper reports on the dissemination strategies of researchers in the MAFF food acceptability and choice programme, and contrasts these with the problems faced by practitioners in gaining access to relevant health‐related research findings. The paper proposes solutions, one of which is to publish research findings in the form of short summaries, more easily accessible by practitioners.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food funded a two‐year project on “Constraints on freedom of dietary choice and their implications for the adoption and maintenance of healthy diets”. Part of this work included a study on the impact of changing income on dietary patterns, food intake and food preferences. Results suggest that alterations in food choices relevant to health promotion occur in people who have experienced a change in income although further study is necessary to explore the longer‐term results of these actions.

Reviews a range of diet survey methods which are commonly utilized by nutritionists. All methods are time‐consuming and demanding for subjects and researchers. It is therefore essential that appropriate retrospective or prospective methods are selected to meet the purpose of the survey. For researchers concerned with changing dietary behaviour, stresses that information on the social context within which food is consumed should be collected as well as data on food and nutrient intake.

Describes work carried out on a two‐year Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF)‐funded project of the constraints on freedom of dietary choice and their implications for the adoption and maintenance of healthy diets. Looks at whether there are differences in diet knowledge and preferences between people on different income levels.

Reports on a three‐phase Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food‐funded study which aimed to identify beliefs and attitudes that may act as barriers to increased fruit and vegetable consumption and to identify strategies which could be used to encourage increased consumption through public health messages.

Compared with the rest of the UK, the Scots have a particularly poor reputation for eating fruit and vegetables. The reasons for this are varied and thought to relate to climate, availability and poor quality, with the costs of these foods being a major barrier to dietary change. To examine this in further detail, a number of focus group discussions were carried out and key questions used in the monthly national Scottish Opinion Survey. Discusses the results, which showed that Scots are complacent about dietary change and the concept of “dietary moderation” provides good grounds for inaction. Quantitative guidelines such as the WHO (World Health Organization) recommendation to consume 400g (about five portions) of fruit and vegetables daily provide clear guidelines for dietary goals and allow diets to be planned on both on an individual and a catering level.

Scotland has a poor diet‐related health record and part of the drive to improve Scottish diet has focused attention on increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. Despite various attempts, consumption remains well below World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations. Consumer confusion and complacency towards diet are apparent and the relationship between knowledge about good diet and behaviour is unclear. Highlights the need to consider how consumers make choices. Diet and health are not regarded as a problem for the majority of Scots but the major barriers to increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables reflect the additional costs incurred and the somewhat limited role for these products in Scottish cuisine. Indicates that price incentives and emphasis on the healthy benefits of eating more fruit and vegetables appear to be the most likely to succeed in increasing consumption; but there appear to be more opportunities to increase fruit as opposed to vegetable consumption.

One of the many barriers to a healthier diet in low‐income communities is a presumed lack of practical food skills. This article reports findings from exploratory qualitative research conducted with potential participants in a cooking skills intervention, in low income communities in Scotland. The research found widely varying levels of skill and confidence regarding cooking, supported the need for a community‐based intervention approach, and demonstrated the importance of consumer research to inform the content of interventions. Challenges the view that low income communities lack skills, suggesting that food skills should be defined more broadly than “cooking from scratch”. Other barriers to healthy eating, such as poverty, food access and taste preferences, remain important.