The National Food Strategy report is published

​The National Food Strategy report sets out a plan to reduce consumption of foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt. This is really welcome news to focus attention on what we eat as a nation.

The report states that Covid 19 has been a painful reality check on the nation’s health.  Henry Dimbleby, co founder of fast food chain Leon, who is behind the report goes so far as to say that:
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"Our high obesity rate has been a major factor in the UK's tragically high death rate," 

The report recommends a new tax on wholesale prices of sugar and salt and that the additional income should be used to support free school meals and help the poorest.

The National Food Strategy Report states that:
 
Poor diet contributes to 64,000 deaths a year in England alone and costs the economy £74bn
 
More than half of over-45s now live with diet-related health conditions.
 
And our eating habits are not just damaging our health, they are also destroying the environment.
 
Well known names such as Tom Kerridge, and Prue Leith as well as respected academics in science and health support this initiative to create positive change in our society.

Processed foods have a financial advantage

The findings highlight the fact that raspberries and broccoli for example are more expensive per calorie than highly processed foods.  So effectively highly processed, cheaper food has an unfair advantage. The government has committed to report back within 6 months which would mean at the end of 2021.

As a nutritionist I know it is easier to put a pre-prepared meal in the oven or microwave, but cooking from scratch can be a pleasurable activity in itself, as well as being far healthier.
 
Preparing a meal using vegetables from the garden or allotment has been found to be a common feature of societies that naturally live the longest.

And if manufacturers reduce the sugar and fat in their food that is one step to a reduction in obesity and improvement in health. The hope however is that taxation will allow the less well off to be supported.

This report was commissioned back in 2019 shortly after the sugar levy was introduced.  Manufacturers then reduced the sugar in drinks in order to avoid the additional tax. So the threat of taxation did effectively reduce the amount of sugar in drinks.  
 
Eating food that is not packaged by the food manufacturers is one way to improve our health, and put more life into our lifespan.