MPs attack “flawed” nutrient profiling system
More than 30 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion criticising the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) nutrient profiling system for foods as “scientifically flawed”
The motion, tabled on January 10 by North Cornwall Liberal Democrat MP Dan Rogerson, calls on the government to “revise the model [which broadcasting watchdog Ofcom is using as a basis to restrict the advertising to children of foods high in fat, salt or sugar] to ensure the regulations improve children's diets across the country”
Rogerson’s text reads: “This House welcomes the principle embodied in Ofcom's new regulations to ban advertising of junk food products while children's television programmes are on air. It notes with concern, however, that Ofcom will use the FSA’s nutrient profiling model to determine which foods will be subject to the ban; notes that this model is scientifically flawed, based on a one-size-fits-all portion size [100g] and will proscribe nutritious foods like cheese from being advertised to children; yet allows whole milk, cheese's key ingredient, to be advertised.
“It welcomes the positive contribution both cheese and milk make to our national diet and economy; and calls on the government to revise the nutrient profiling model to ensure the regulations improve children's diets across the country.”
Despite strong resistance to the scheme from the dairy industry, the FSA has ruled out making any amendments or exemptions until an official review in a year’s time.
The Department of Health has also defended the scheme as “scientific and objective”. When asked by Labour MP David Drew to comment about the impact of the new advertising restrictions on the cheese industry, Secretary of State for Health Caroline Flint said: “There has been no assessment of the possible impact that proposed television restrictions on food and drink advertising to children will have on the cheese industry.
“However, the Department [of Health] believes that the nutrient profiling model, developed by the FSA for use by Ofcom, provides a scientific and objective base for underpinning regulatory intervention in relation to television advertising to children.”
