by Tanya HAFFNER | Mar 9, 2018 | Retail, Hot Topics in nutrition, Media in context, The Nation’s Health, Catering/Out of Home
This week, Public Health England published a new report into calorie consumption, calling on food makers to cut calories in the products to help in the combat against obesity. The findings were discussed by the BBC, the Daily Mail and the Guardian, among many others.
Key points of the report include:
- New evidence highlighting overweight or obese boys and girls consume up to 500 and 290 calories too many each day respectively
- A challenge to the food industry to reduce calories in products consumed by families by 20% by 2024
- This will include 13 types of savoury, processed foods such as pizzas, ready meals, ready-made sandwiches, meat products and savoury snacks.
- Food companies can achieve this by either 1) reducing portion sizes, 2) reformulation of products or 3) signposting to lower calorie options already available.
According to PHE, “If the 20% target is met within 5 years, more than 35,000 premature deaths could be prevented and around £9 billion in NHS healthcare and social care costs could be saved over a 25 year period.”
Alongside the report comes the launch of the One You campaign, encouraging adults to consume 400 calories at breakfast, and 600 each for lunch and dinner, plus a couple of healthy snacks in between. This comes as adults consume 200 to 300 calories in excess each day.
- Major high street brands are partnering with PHE on the campaign (including Greggs, Starbucks, McDonalds and Subway), helping show consumers which meals can meet the 400-600-600kcal mark. Total daily calorie intake recommendations remain at 2,000kcal for women and 2,500kcal for men.
- The Only You Easy Meals app gives ideas for what could fit into this (also see our examples listed further below).
This new plan from the Government comes on top of the sugar levy which comes into force next month and the sugar reduction programme. Read more about both here
Behind the headlines: the Nutrilicious dietetic view
The battle against being overweight or obese is an important one:
- In the UK, two thirds of adults and one third of children are classed as ‘overweight’ (Body Mass Index over 25kg/m2) or ‘obese’ (Body Mass Index over 30kg/m2).
- Overweight and obesity can have a serious impact on health and increase the risk of:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Musculoskeletal disorders (like osteroarthritis)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Some types of cancer (such as breast cancer, endometrial and bowel cancer)
- Psychological problems
Source: World Health Organisation
While we hope the new plan by the government will help with the obesity battle, there are some points to consider when going through the plans:
- Cutting foods by 20% in calories – This is a voluntary target and so unfortunately there is no guarantee food companies will actually respond to these targets. However, PHE have stated that if there is little response, they will ‘name and shame’ the brands that are not co-operating and they would then consider asking the Government to legislate.
- The 400-600-600 tip
This could be a useful way to help people stay more on track at mealtimes; it is simple approach and easy to remember. Here are a here are a few examples from the Only You App
|
400kcal breakfast
|
600kcal lunch |
600kcal dinner |
| Banana porridge made with milk and oats with raspberry mash |
Beans on wholegrain toast with mushrooms, tomatoes and peppers |
Chicken and vegetable parcels with noodles or potatoes |
| Traffic light omelettes with mixed peppers |
Salmon and cucumber wholewheat wraps with watercress
|
Lentil and vegetable cobbler |
| Toasted oats with yogurt, apple and grapes |
Wholegrain pitta pizza with with mushrooms, tomatoes and light mozzarella |
New potato and tuna salad |
However, while it’s suggested just as a guide, men require more calories than women… is it appropriate to apply such advice to both? Using the 400-600-600 calorie rules, this would leave men with 900 calories left within their recommended daily allowance for snacks. Would you say this was the best approach?The “guide” element in our view will need to be emphasised much more in the communications.
- Nutrient intake
It’s good to be calorie aware and know rough guides, but sometimes the higher calorie option could be healthier than the lower calorie option. What calorie counting does not do is consider nutrient intake of a meal nor the balance of different foods in a meal, which is a major drawback of the approach.
To give a breakfast example, a white bacon roll (about 290 calories) offers little beneficial nutrition but could come in at lower calories than a bowl of porridge topped with a piece of sliced fruit and a handful of nuts (about 400 calories). The latter offers a healthier source of protein and fats from the nuts compared to processed meat, plus a portion of fruit. The porridge would help contribute to our fibre much more than the roll – and in the UK, the current average fibre intake needs to increased by 60% to be meeting the UK recommendations.
So while we may reduce calorie consumption, we may then lose something else that is good for our health (e.g. fibre). The approach in fact has the potential to be counterproductive if we choose a meal that is lower in quality, causing excess snacking if, for example, you didn’t have enough fibre in the meal to fill you up.
It’s great that the supporting app and website help teach more about healthy choices; hopefully those who decide to follow 400-600-600 will take the advice on board. It will be important for PHE to monitor the uptake and how healthy the choices will be and for us as public health advisers to be aware of these results.
- There is the suggestion and worry that such rules with calories could create unhealthy relationships with food for some.
- Finally there is no magic bullet to the obesity crisis. It continues to require large scale urgent multi-pronged approaches to be overcome and we must not loose sight of this which know from unanimous research including the game changing McKinsey Global Institute Report on overcoming obesity, that has yet to be truly taken on board by any overweight nation.
Takeaway message
This is an important new report and initiative from Public Health England which overall we welcome and hope alongside other initiatives already started as well as those yet to come will help to make a difference to the current obesity crisis. We look forward to supporting the initiative in the context of what is also eaten in our communications alongside other strategies dependent on the audiences that we are influencing. In the meantime we also hope that this initiative will be communicated and closely measured by PHE in the context of the above concerns as WHAT we eat is of great value to our overall health and weight, not just how much we eat.
by Tanya HAFFNER | Mar 7, 2018 | Hot Topics in nutrition, Food category comment, Media in context, Education, Resources worth having
Below is a Press Release from the Alpro Science & Nutrition Team this week which we felt was worth sharing as it highlights a new and extensive review on the nutrition of plant-based drinks addressing a number of nutritional misconceptions.
PRESS RELEASE: 7TH March 2018
THE DEBATE OVER THE POWER OF PLANT-BASED DRINKS:
PUTTING THE MISCONCEPTIONS TO BED
7th March 2018: The debate on the benefits of plant-based eating, including plant-based drinks, is a hot topic with opposing messages from supporters and sceptics on the quality and quantity of protein, vitamins and minerals, and their role within the government’s Eatwell Guide. Hardly surprising then that the subject of plant power and placing plant foods first get regular column inches focusing on everything from the environment to health and, of course, the government guidance perspective.
So what is the truth and how confident can you be in championing plant foods to consumers?
Well, the good news is that consumers have already come to the smart conclusion and are considering plant power more and more in their diets. In fact, a plant based white paper, authored to celebrate this week’s Plant Power Day on 7th March, shows that more than half of UK shoppers say they are planning or considering adding more plant-based food and drink into their diets over the next year, with, health, weight loss and the environment being the biggest motivators for buying plant-based.1
One of the most accessible ways of doing this, is through the consumption of plant-based drinks, the production of which makes more efficient use of the earth’s resources using less land, water and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than dairy. They are, in the main, low in saturated fats, which is good news for heart health (heart disease remains UK’s no.1 killer) and the fortified drinks provide important nutrients for bone health: calcium and vitamin D.*
But, never one to sit smugly on our laurels, to resolve any continuing misconceptions around plant-based drinks and plant-based eating, Vanessa Clarkson, independent expert, registered dietitian and nutritionist, was invited to take a deep dive into the scientific evidence and provide a balanced critique of the role of plant-based drinks in the UK diet.
The evidence was vast (over 60 of the most up to date publications were reviewed) resulting in the production of an 8-page review fact sheet. The conclusion clearly indicates that plant-powered drinks should be on everyone’s shopping list alongside an array of other healthful plant-based foods.2
To read the fully referenced 8-page scientific review please click here.
Key findings:
• Soya and other plant-based drinks provide many nutrients and can thus contribute positively to overall nutritional intakes.
• In the main, plant-based drinks have low levels of total fats that are predominantly unsaturated.
• Cow’s milk is not a crucial provider of protein in the UK or Irish diets (with the exception of toddlers) – therefore switching to a non-soya plant-based drink will impact little on total protein intake.
o Cows’s milk contributes just 7-8% of protein intakes in UK 11-65+ years and just 10% of Irish adult population intakes.
• Sugars: consumers have a choice to opt for sweetened or unsweetened plant-based drinks. Even sweetened plain plant-based drinks provide just 2.8g sugars per 100ml (range 1.2g–3.8g).
• Vitamins and minerals.
o With the exception of organic variants, all leading brands of plant-based drinks are fortified with calcium to a level comparable to that found in cow’s milk and with a similar bioavailability. Moreover, many are also fortified with vitamin D, which further supports calcium absorption.
o With the exception of organic variants, most soya and other plant-based drinks are fortified with vitamin B12.
o Iodine, not normally found in plant-based drinks, can be found a balanced diet which includes other sources such as dairy products, sea food and eggs.
• Plant-based diets support population health outcomes for cardiovascular health, body weight and blood glucose control. Furthermore, nutrients needed for optimal bone health are also readily available in plant foods.
• Plant foods in general, make more efficient use of the earth’s resources – a key point which should not be overlooked in light of global population growth and climate change.
So, in short, you should confidently recommend plant-based drinks and eating as a healthy source of nutrition and finally put the ongoing debate to rest.
– – END – –
1. Alpro Censuswide survey of 1,568 consumers, conducted between 21-23 February 2018.
2. Vanessa Clarkson RD, RNutr. Fact sheet March 2018: The Role of Plant-based Drinks in the British and Irish Diet. Alpro Health Professional website/resources. Available by clicking here.
The fact sheet was sponsored by an education grant from Alpro UK Science and Nutrition department.
* Calcium & vitamin D, as part of a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle, contribute to the maintenance of normal bones. In children, calcium and vitamin, as part of a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle, are needed for normal growth and development of bone in children.
Plant Power Day – 7th March 2018: We’re asking you to put plants first on 7th March 2018.
This means, just for one day, thinking about plant-based foods first when it comes to your food and drink choices… And making every meal a PLANQUET.
A planquet can be big or small, from a plant-based feast with friends or family, to a plant-based breakfast al desko. It just needs to make plants the star of the show. You can do it all day, or just the once. For example:
• Making your porridge with almond drink and topping with berries, nuts and seeds
• Whizzing an oat drink into your morning smoothie
• Picking up a soya, coconut or almond latte on your way to work
• Sprinkling almonds, walnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds onto your favourite salads, then adding other protein sources, if you fancy
• Packing out tomato-based sauces with lentils, split peas and grated veg first. Then, trying your chilli or bolognese veggie – or adding meat, if you like
• Adding beans, lentils, chickpeas and spices to soups, stews, curries and casseroles
Press contact: Tanya Haffner – Nutrilicious – tanya@nutrilicious.co.uk – 020 8455 2126
by Tanya HAFFNER | Mar 5, 2018 | Health Awareness Events, The Nation’s Health, Health days
We’re proud to support the nation’s first Plant Power Day, taking place on Wednesday, 7 March 2018. Its aim is to encourage everyone to put plant-based foods first for all food and drink choices, at least for one day.
It’s easy to take part: whether you start your day with a smoothie or host a ‘planquet’ – a meal that puts plants first – making vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, pulses, legumes, nuts and seeds the star of the show. Breakfast, lunch or dinner with friends or family, or even just a small snack, you’ll help spread the word about the benefits of a plant-based diet.
Plant Power Day’s instigators, Alpro, are hosting a special Planquet in collaboration with cooking sensation BOSH! . Guests will enjoy watching the team create a three-course plant-based meal in an open kitchen in London, and tuck in to a delicious meal. There are still a few tickets available online
Plant-based eating doesn’t mean we have to give up meat and animal foods. Simply starting to add more plants to our meals can all help!
Why take part in Plant Power Day?
As we’ve posted on our recent blogs, plant-based diets are rising in popularity. We see this as a good thing because of the many benefits such a diet can bring. It’s great for our health, the planet and for economics.
Good for you
As a rule, plant-based foods tend to be:
- Fibre filled – this means a good provider of fibre (our current fibre intake is 60% lower than it should be!)
- Heart healthy – generally low in saturated fat, known as ‘the bad kind of fat’, and high in unsaturated fat, ‘the good kind’, to help maintain normal blood cholesterol levels
- Packed with a wide range of vitamins and minerals
Good for the planet and economy
It may be surprising to know that the way we are currently producing and eating food and using the earth’s resources means that we would need two planets by 2030. This is clearly not sustainable.
Each person who puts plants first on Plant Power Day will*:
- Save 1,500 litres of water, equivalent to:
- Two weeks’ worth of showers[1]
- Two years and eight months’ worth of drinking water[2]
- 27 washing machine cycles
- 150 toilet flushes
- Reduce their carbon footprint by 2kg[3], equivalent to:
- 5 miles of driving in a car
- Two days’ worth of light from a lamp[4]
- The energy required to make 1,064 cups of tea[5]
[1] 15 showers, 2 Based on an individuals’ consumption of 1.5L water per day = 1000 days’ worth of water, 3 2kg of CO2e, or carbon dioxide equivalent. The standard unit for measuring carbon footprints, 4 Based on a 60W bulb. 39gCO2e per hour. 5 Based on 8 cups of tea per kettle. Boiling one kettle = 15g CO2e
Ideas for the day
Have a think about the meals you eat on a typical day and how you could adapt them to be plant based. By experimenting with plant-based foods for Plant Power Day, you may be surprised at how satisfying and tasty the options can be.
- Try swapping beef mince in a chilli or bolognese for soya mince or beans, lentils and chickpeas. Try this tasty recipe for a bolognese using lentils
- Add beans, lentils or tofu to stews, soups and curries. Try the delicious sweet potato and chickpea curry (pictured above).
- Include a sprinkling of nuts and seeds in your salads
- Try a milkshake, latte or smoothie using fortified plant-based milks. Here is a collection of smoothie recipes from Alpro
- Have a go at making some tasty falafels in a wholemeal pitta, like the oven-baked version by Dietician Anita Bean.
- Use nut and seed butters on wholegrain crackers or on an apple for a healthy snack.
For more recipe inspiration, go to the Alpro website
Get involved and have fun giving your meals a makeover, putting plants FIRST. Please like and share this post, suggest your own favourite recipe and help spread the word!
Your chance to win
Try a new recipe or share one of your own favourites. Post a picture of your #planquet on Twitter and Instagram for a chance to win a hamper of the Alpro plant-based range, a KeepCup and a subscription to AllPlants. Put the plant-foods first and snap away!
by Tanya HAFFNER | Mar 2, 2018 | Hot Topics in nutrition, Media in context, The Nation’s Health, Surveys and insights, Catering/Out of Home
This week, the Daily Mail and the Independent reported that showing the calorie content of meals in restaurants can help lower people’s calorie intake.
This is based on a systematic review of 28 studies, which concluded that nutritional labelling on restaurant menus can reduce the amount of energy (i.e. calories) purchased.
Overall, it was found that nutritional labelling could reduce calorific intake by up to 12% – around 72 calories for a typical 600kcal meal. That’s equivalent to three boiled new potatoes or around 150ml of juice.
Behind the headlines: the Nutrilicious dietetic view
This study is very relevant, considering that on average we eat out for around a quarter of our meals. These meals can often be served as large portions and can be high in sugar and salt.
More and more restaurants in the UK are now providing the nutritional values of meals, which are often available online. They include Nandos, Starbucks, Prezzo, Wagamama, Zizzis, Giraffe and many more. However, previous research has only shown mixed results as to the effects of having the nutritional values available.
There are some limitations to the review – many of the individual studies it’s based on were graded as poor quality. Nevertheless, it provides evidence that displaying nutritional values to restaurant menus may help to lower calorie intake in individuals.
Another weapon in the battle against obesity
Just this week, Cancer Research UK released a report showing that on current trends 70 per cent of millennials – those born between the early 1980s to mid-1990s – will be overweight or obese by the age 35 to 45.That’s more than any other generation since records began. The UK is already the most overweight nation in Western Europe, with obesity rates rising even faster than in the US. We know definitively from the McKinsey Global Institute Report on Overcoming Obesity: an initial economic analysis that we need as many nudge strategies as possible to help overcome this very serious obesity issue.
Professor Theresa Marteau, the review’s lead author and head of the Behaviour and Health Research Unit at Cambridge University, summed it up: “This evidence suggests that using nutritional labelling could help reduce calorie intake and make a useful impact as part of a wider set of measures aimed at tackling obesity. There is no magic bullet to solve the obesity problem, so while calorie labelling may help, other measures to reduce calorie intake are needed.”
Her thoughts are echoed by many experts. Professor Ian Caterson, president of the World Obesity Federation, stated: “Energy labelling has been shown to be effective – people see it and read it and there is a resulting decrease in calories purchased. Combined with a suite of other interventions, such changes will help slow and eventually turn around the continuing rise in body weight.”
Sue Davies, Which? food policy expert, says it’s not just the experts who believe access to more information is important: “This research highlights the value of calorie information and why it is so important that it is provided more widely for people when eating out. In a recent Which? survey, 63% of people agreed that calorie information should be provided on the food in cafes and restaurants for transparency.”
The United States is leading the way on this front: the Food and Drug Administration recently implemented a policy whereby restaurants with 20 or more locations must show calorie counts on their menus from May 2018. It will be interesting to monitor the impact.
Takeaway message
There are many measures that are needed to help reduce obesity, and the serious health issues that it causes. Ensuring nutritional values are available to consumers may be a simple strategy amongst many that are needed to help individuals take steps to make wiser meal choices.
There are other steps we can take to help us make healthier choices when eating out. The NHS provides some useful advice and tips
At Nutrilicious, we enjoy helping all organisations to implement, measure and communicate nudge strategies to help the nation overcome the urgent problem of obesity. If you would like to discuss how your organisation could contribute, please get in touch – we would be more than happy to discuss and help.
by Tanya HAFFNER | Feb 23, 2018 | Media in context, The Nation’s Health, Surveys and insights
Popular in the news this week is the story linking eating ‘ultra-processed’ foods and cancer, as reported by the Independent (‘Processed food, sugary cereals and sliced bread may contribute to cancer risk, study claims‘) the BBC the Daily Mail and The Guardian.
These headlines are based on a study published in the British Medical Journal this month. In the study, foods were classified based on the NOVA system, which relates to the nature, extent and purpose of food processing. Those falling under the category of ‘ultra-processed’ include:
- Mass-produced bread and buns
- Sweet or savoury packaged snacks including crisps, chocolate bars and sweets
- Sodas and sweetened drinks
- Meatballs, poultry and fish nuggets
- Instant noodles and soups
- Frozen or shelf-life ready meals
- Foods made mostly or entirely from sugar, oils and fats
Study details and findings
A cohort of 105,000 people were followed for an average of five years. A 10% increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet was associated with a significant 12% increase in the risk of overall cancer and 11% in the risk of breast cancer.
Alongside the original study, the British Medical Journal have also published an editorial further explaining the findings.
Behind the headlines: the Nutrilicious dietetic view
Limitations of the study
While this story has been heavily publicised, there are several limitations of the study which mean we cannot draw firm conclusions:
- Those who ate a lot of ultra-processed foods had other behaviours that have been linked to cancer which could skew the results. They include being more likely to smoke, being less active, consuming more calories overall and more likely to be taking the oral contraceptive. The researchers stated that their impact ‘cannot be entirely excluded’.
- Cause and effect cannot be established for an observational study: we cannot say that ‘ultra-processed foods have caused the increase in cancer’. It is an association found.
- The term ‘ultra-processed’ is still somewhat vague, so it’s difficult to establish which specific foods might be responsible for the increased cancer risk, and why.
- The participants were mainly women who had decided to take part in a health and diet study themselves, so were likely to be interested in their health. This means the sample may not be highly representative of the general public.
That said, we can give credit to the large sample size used in the study giving more reliability to the findings.
Response from Cancer UK
Helping to put this study into context, Professor Linda Bauld from Cancer Research UK responded: “It’s already known that eating a lot of these foods can lead to weight gain, and being overweight or obese can also increase your risk of cancer, so it’s hard to disentangle the effects of diet and weight.”
She also said the study was a ‘warning signal to us to have a healthy diet’ but individuals should not worry about eating a bit of processed food ‘here and there’ as long as they were getting plenty of fruit, vegetables and fibre.
So, can we reduce the risk of cancer?
It’s estimated that one in two people will develop cancer at some point in their lives. Whilst some risk factors for cancer are non-preventable (such as genetics), there are still lots of things we can do to help reduce our risk:
- Eating a healthy, balanced diet
- Limiting red meat and avoiding processed meats
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Abstaining from smoking
- Keeping alcohol intakes below government guidelines
- Protecting your skin from sun damage
- Knowing your body (e.g. checking for lumps)
For more details on all of the above, go to the National Health Service. The World Cancer Research Fund also carry out a continuous review of the scientific evidence into the subject of diet, lifestyle and cancer risk. Read their cancer prevention recommendations.
Takeaway message
This study does not allow us to draw firm conclusions about ultra-processed foods and cancer. However, we should certainly be reminded of the importance of diet and lifestyle in cancer prevention.
After smoking, excess weight is one of the biggest causes of cancer and it has also been estimated that about one third of cancers could be prevented by changing our diet and lifestyle. This includes being a healthy weight, following a healthy diet and engaging in physical activity.
What changes could you make to help reduce your risk?
Reference: Macmillan Cancer and Cancer Research UK
