Most Irish people are confused about the recommended daily intake of fat for men and women, a national survey has found.
Nearly half of the 1,200 respondents underestimated their own average daily intake of fat. The survey, for the Health Promotion Unit at the Department of Health and Children, found that 38 per cent of adults under 35 often skip breakfast, while 29 per cent rarely eat lunch.
Of those who do take lunch, 19 per cent have a fizzy drink or crisps and chocolate. These unhealthy habits were more common among single men.
National Healthy Eating Week begins on Sunday. The Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, said: "What we are seeing is that people, particularly those under the age of 35, are leading busier lives and do not always take the time to eat breakfast or lunch or to prepare and eat an evening meal."
While 69 per cent aged 18 to 35 sit down to eat their meals, 68 per cent consume them in less than 15 minutes and 46 per cent eat in front of the television. More than one-third of women under 35 said they had a tendency to pick at food rather than sitting down to have a full meal.
For lunch, sandwiches or rolls were the choice of two-thirds of young adults, while 29 per cent, mostly men, had hot meals. More than a quarter of those between 18 and 35 said they "couldn't be bothered" or were "too busy" to cook in the evenings.
The aim of the campaign is to encourage everyone to consider the type and amount of fat they eat. It advises people to use low-fat cooking methods.
This is the ninth annual Healthy Eating Week and Mr Martin said awareness was rising every year. Last year, two out of three people said they knew about the campaign.
However, 69 per cent of the population under 35 said they never thought about the fat content of food. Nearly half of all respondents stated that they would make healthier food choices if foods were better labelled.
Some 28 per cent, mostly urban women, said they would choose a low-fat option if buying a sandwich, while one in five young men said they were too busy to worry about nutritional content.
People are advised to stay within the recommended guidelines of 74 to 97 grams of fat per day for women (15-19 teaspoons) and 93 to 128 grams per day for men (19-26 teaspoons).
A week-long programme of activity has been planned by the Health Promotion Unit and health boards at a local level.