The number of recommended calories per day goes up while we're told we're not being honest with ourselves about what we eat and drink
13th October 2011 - UK government advisors have raised the recommended number of calories we need every day, but before you reach for an extra portion, most of us are already exceeding those limits.
22% of men and 24% of women are obese, and 66% of men and 57% women are overweight including those who are obese according to the latest Health Survey for England. Obesity raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
The Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies has launched the new obesity "Call to Action" campaign. However, the consumer group Which? has described the plan as "woefully inadequate."
The plan
It may seem that government experts are stating the obvious when they say in a statement: "Eating or drinking too many calories is at the heart of the obesity problem." However, the target is ambitious: to cut our national calorie intake by five billion calories a day.
That would equal 16.9 million cheese burgers, enough to cover around 20 football pitches, government statisticians have worked out. It has also been calculated to equal the calories of four Olympic swimming pools full of latte.
The government's approach to public health messages has been described as being more of a nudge than nannying. It hopes local authorities, companies and the food industry will work together to encourage fitness and healthy food and drink choices.
New calorie counts
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) now advises that on average men should eat 2,605 calories and women should eat 2,079 calories each day.
However, Professor Dame Sally Davies says in a statement: "Most of us are eating or drinking more than we need to and are not active enough. Being overweight or obese is a direct consequence of eating more calories than we need. Increasing physical activity is a part of the equation, but reducing the amount of calories we consume is key."
We should, she says, be more honest with ourselves about our eating and drinking habits, which she hopes will mean many people will eat and drink less.
Reaction
Reacting to the announcement in an emailed statement, Which? executive director Richard Lloyd, says: "The Government calls on people to cut down the calories they eat, but isn't giving them the tools to do so."
Which? is campaigning for food packaging to have traffic light style and clear calorie labelling in all food chains.
"Food and drink manufacturers must cut fat and sugar, and therefore calories, from their products where possible, and promote healthier options," Mr Lloyd says, "But expecting them to do this voluntarily through a vague 'call to action' is naïve.
"We need a proper strategy which includes ambitious targets. We don't have time for half measures."
Also reacting in a statement, Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, says: "it's disappointing to see such an emphasis on just cutting calories. There are other things to consider too, like reducing saturated fat.
"If industry wants to be part of the solution then they should make sure we all have the information we need to make healthy choices, so colour-coded front-of-pack labelling must show calories but also saturated fat, salt and sugar."
14 Oct, 2011--
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNE-FfIiFGDBaMeJvq7OgNtsgNTopw&url=http://www.webmd.boots.com/diet/news/20111013/new-government-diet-advice
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