The vast majority of Irish adults do not know how much fibre they should be consuming each day and half have never had their cholesterol tested, a new survey has found.

It centred on what Irish people know about a healthy diet and found that while over 80% of people feel that they generally make healthy food choices, 90% do not know what the recommended daily intake of fibre is.

The correct amount is 25g per day, however only 20% of adults are actually achieving this.

"Breakfast is when many of us think about fibre but we need to think about it at lunch and dinner as well. Fruit and vegetables will help with fibre, but we also need to include beans, lentils and wholegrain bread," commented Dublin-based dietician, Sarah Keogh.

The survey also found that half of Irish adults have never had their cholesterol tested, with one in three of these believing they are ‘too young' to be tested. This is despite the fact that most cases of high cholesterol are related to lifestyle factors, such as poor diet and a lack of exercise, so younger adults are also at risk.

Meanwhile, the survey also found that around 25% of Irish people do not know how to manage their blood sugar levels and none of the respondents were aware that adding fibre to the diet can help manage these levels.

"The results show that although Irish people like to think they are leading healthy lifestyles, in reality many do not know how to," Ms Keogh added.

The survey involved 154 men and women aged between 18 and 65 and was carried out on behalf of wholegrain supplement, Heart Up+.