TEENAGERS and young adults consume more soft drinks, burgers and chips than any other age group according to a new report into eating habits.

It is the first detailed report into Australian eating habits undertaken in more than a decade.

Australian Bureau of Statistics Health Statistics director Louise Gates said on Friday (May 09) results from the Australian Health Survey showed 51% of teenage males (aged 14-18 years) and 44% of young adult males (aged 19-30 years) had consumed soft drink on the day prior to interview.

She said this was compared to less than 30% for the rest of the population.

"These results show that on a typical day in Australia, one in four teenage males consume a burger compared with around only one in 14 for the whole population," she said.

"One in five males in this age range also consumed chips compared with only one in seven across the whole population.

"The report also recorded that rates of consumption of fruit and vegetables for teenagers and young adults were relatively low.

"Across these age groups, around 40% of males and 50% of females consumed fruit compared with 60% for the whole population."

Ms Gates said less than three quarters of teenagers and young adults consumed vegetables on the day prior to interview, almost half of this consumption was potatoes (including chips), for both teenage males and females.