The Good Fiber Company · Data tracker

The European Fiber Gap Index

How far the average diet in each European country falls below the recommended fiber target. Every figure is sourced to a national survey.

Data current as of July 2026 · reviewed quarterly
0/21
European countries meeting their recommended fiber target
0 g
average daily fiber shortfall versus target
Sort
Lithuania
Lithuanian National Dietary Survey (2020) · target 30 g (Ministry of Health (25-35))
15 /30 g
−15 g gap
United Kingdom
NDNS 2019-2023 (2023) · target 30 g (SACN)
16.4 /30 g
−13.6 g gap
Iceland· older data
national survey via NNR-2023 review (2010) · target 30 g (NNR (sex-avg))
17 /30 g
−13 g gap
Spain
ANIBES Study (2013) · target 25 g (EFSA reference)
12.6 /25 g
−12.4 g gap
France
INCA 3 (2015) · target 30 g (ANSES)
20 /30 g
−10 g gap
Sweden· older data
Riksmaten via NNR-2023 review (2010) · target 30 g (NNR (sex-avg))
20 /30 g
−10 g gap
Slovenia
SI.Menu (2018) · target 30 g (D-A-CH)
20.9 /30 g
−9.1 g gap
Finland
FinDiet via NNR-2023 review (2017) · target 30 g (NNR (sex-avg))
21 /30 g
−9 g gap
Austria· older data
Austrian Nutrition Report (2012) · target 30 g (D-A-CH)
22 /30 g
−8 g gap
Belgium
Belgian Food Consumption Survey (2015) · target 25 g (EFSA reference)
17 /25 g
−8 g gap
Denmark· older data
DANSDA via NNR-2023 review (2011) · target 30 g (NNR (sex-avg))
22.5 /30 g
−7.5 g gap
Poland
national survey (Kucharska et al.) (2020) · target 25 g (NIZP-PZH)
17.8 /25 g
−7.2 g gap
Ireland
NANS II (2024) · target 25 g (EFSA reference)
18 /25 g
−7 g gap
Estonia
Estonian National Dietary Survey (2015) · target 25 g (EFSA reference)
18 /25 g
−7 g gap
Italy· older data
INRAN-SCAI (2024 reanalysis) (2006) · target 25 g (LARN)
18 /25 g
−7 g gap
Latvia· older data
Latvian dietary survey (2009) · target 25 g (EFSA reference)
18 /25 g
−7 g gap
Norway· older data
Norkost via NNR-2023 review (2010) · target 30 g (NNR (sex-avg))
24 /30 g
−6 g gap
Germany· older data
NVS II (2006) · target 30 g (DGE)
24 /30 g
−6 g gap
Portugal
IAN-AF (2016) · target 25 g (EFSA reference)
19 /25 g
−6 g gap
Netherlands
DNFCS 2019-2021 (2021) · target 25 g (EFSA reference)
20.3 /25 g
−4.7 g gap
Hungary· older data
Hungarian dietary survey (2009) · target 25 g (EFSA reference)
23 /25 g
−2 g gap
Cite this index
The Good Fiber Company (2026). The European Fiber Gap Index. https://goodfibercompany.com/fiber-index/
Embed / link: https://goodfibercompany.com/fiber-index/

Methodology

Each country is compared with its own national recommendation where one exists; countries without a numeric national target use the EFSA adequate intake of 25 g/day. Nordic targets are sex-specific under the NNR (25 g/day for women, 35 g/day for men) and are shown here as the adult average of 30 g/day. Where a survey reports men and women separately, we show the adult average. Figures flagged as older data come from surveys before 2012 and are the best national figures currently available. The comparability backbone is Stephen et al. 2017 (Nutrition Research Reviews), updated with newer national dietary surveys.

Across the 21 countries with credible national data, 0 meet their recommended fiber target. The average shortfall is about 8.4 grams per day. This index is reviewed quarterly; it was last updated in July 2026.

Omitted for lack of a credible national survey: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Croatia, Greece, Luxembourg, Malta, Romania, and Slovakia.

  1. Stephen AM, et al. Dietary fibre in Europe: current state of knowledge on definitions, sources, recommendations, intakes and relationships to health. Nutrition Research Reviews, 2017. PMID 28676135. link
  2. EFSA NDA Panel. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre. EFSA Journal 2010;8(3):1462. link
  3. National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) 2019 to 2023 report, GOV.UK; SACN Carbohydrates and Health, 2015 (30 g/day). link
  4. Ruiz E, et al. Dietary Fibre Intake in the Spanish Population (ANIBES Study). Nutrients 2017;9(4):326. link
  5. ANSES, INCA 3 dietary survey (fieldwork 2014-2015); ANSES fibre reference 30 g/day. link
  6. Nationale Verzehrsstudie II (NVS II), 2005/06, reported in Stephen et al. 2017; DGE recommendation >=30 g/day. link
  7. Kucharska A, et al. Dietary fibre intake in the adult Polish population. Frontiers in Nutrition 2024; NIZP-PZH 2020 target 25 g/day. link
  8. National Adult Nutrition Survey II (NANS II) Summary Report, IUNA, May 2024. link
  9. Gregoric M, et al. Dietary intake in Slovenian adults (SI.Menu 2017/18). Nutrients 2022; D-A-CH reference >30 g/day. link
  10. Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 scoping review, Food & Nutrition Research 2023 (Norway 2010, Denmark 2011, Finland 2017, Sweden 2010, Iceland 2010). link
  11. Rippin HL, et al. Adult nutrient intakes from current national dietary surveys of European populations. Nutrients 2017;9(12):1288. link
  12. European Commission, Knowledge4Policy - Dietary fibre overview (national food consumption survey figures). link
  13. Bulotaite U, et al. Lithuanian national dietary survey 2019-2020 (n=2,555 adults); target 25-35 g/day per Minister of Health order. link
  14. INRAN-SCAI 2005-06 Italian dietary survey, 2024 reanalysis (n=2,831 adults): median fibre 17.9 g/day; LARN reference. link
  15. Netherlands National Food Consumption Survey (DNFCS) 2019-2021, RIVM. link