Pasta in the favourite dish of the Maltese people, according to the first survey of eating habits issued today by the Malta Standards Authority.

Pasta is the favourite for both lunch and dinner, followed by chicken and beef, in that order, also for lunch and dinner. People take less than a quarter cup of fresh vegetables with their lunch. However consumption of vegetables rises for dinner.

The favourites for breakfast are sweets, chocolates and biscuits, followed by processed meat. People eat more pork, pasta and rice for breakfast than cereal, the survey results show.

The breakfast trend is repeated during the morning snack. Chocolate and sweets are also popular as afternoon snacks.

Bread remains very popular, especially with lunch.

Coffee, tea or hot chocolate are popular for breakfast and the morning and afternoon snacks, but bottled water takes over for lunch.

The MSA said the average height of men in Malta is 1.7 metres, and women is 1.59m. The average weight of men is 81 kilos and women, 68 kilos. The average weight of an adult increases steadily at 200 grams a year.

The survey was held among a sample of 1,000 people who were asked to fill a diary over five days between January and May last year.

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