HOWLS of outrage can be expected from biscuit manufacturers, confectioners,
and chip shop owners this week when the British government finally releases
its report on how to eat for a healthy life. They already had a whinge when
parts of the report were leaked in August. Unfortunately, the full report is
likely to make them even more vociferous in defence of the unalienable rights
of individuals to stuff themselves with crisps, cakes, chocolate and
cheeseburgers until overtaken by a coronary.
Seriously though, the dryly titled Nutritional Aspects of Cardiovascular
Disease is a milestone in official dietary advice. For the first time, a
government has taken abstract measures relating to consumption of fats,
carbohydrates, proteins, salt and so on, and translated them into plain
language about the kinds of meals we could eat to realise these targets. 鈥�1
chocolate bar exchanged for 1 apple鈥� and 鈥�1 egg fried in oil exchanged for 1
egg boiled鈥� are among the simple 鈥渇ood swaps鈥� suggested for a healthier diet.
Dairy products are particular targets for replacement.
It鈥檚 obvious this is so important. Britain has one of the highest rates of
coronary heart disease in the industrial world. Scotland and Northern Ireland
are especially bad. And Britain has one of the world鈥檚 most overweight
populations as well. Smoking, lack of exercise, stress and bad housing all
contribute to the high mortality rates. But poor diet plays a large part in
the 90 000 premature deaths each year from cardiovascular disease.
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After an exhaustive, three-year investigation of the evidence correlating
diet with disease, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy鈥檚
cardiovascular review group confirmed that the British eat too much fat and
refined sugar and not enough foods rich in the starchy carbohydrates, fibre
and vitamins.
Their view of the shortcomings of the British diet is not, of course, new.
What angers the food industry is that the report provides clear and simple
advice instead of leaving people to try to wrestle with incomprehensible food
labels. So far, the industry鈥檚 reaction has been to try to ridicule the
exercise as 鈥渟ocial engineering鈥� and to ask what authority the 鈥渘anny state鈥�
has to tell people how to live their lives.
The truth is that the government is not prescribing the diet but simply
offering it as a guideline. Nor is it forcing lettuce and lentils down
anyone鈥檚 throat by increasing the price of 鈥渘aughty鈥� foods. Of course people
have the right to eat what they like. But equally, people have the right to
information that enables them to eat more healthily. And if that information
is clear, simple, and effective so much the better.