Obesity

Professor Christine Williams: ‘Many young people coming into research today are actually put off’

Food scientist industry link attacks unfair: professor

By Rick Pendrous

Nutrition scientists must not be “pilloried” for working with industry on research projects that could lead to advances in public health and a reduction in obesity, a leading academic in the field has argued.

Evidence grows on reversing type 2 diabetes by sustained weight loss

Dietary evidence for diabetes reversal

By Rick Pendrous

Evidence has emerged and more is expected over the next few months to prove that dietary changes using low and very low energy diets in the initial stages of clinical interventions can be used to reverse type 2 diabetes and then sustain it in patients.

Kellogg announced plans to cut the sugar content of three of its top children’s cereals

Kellogg cuts sugar in top three children’s cereals

By Gwen Ridler

Kellogg has revealed plans to cut the sugar content of three of its top selling children’s breakfast cereals by up to 40% by the end of next year, as it drops cereals high in sugar from the range.

Sugar study: a 10p levy was added to sugar-sweetened beverages in 37 Jamie’s Italian restaurants

Jamie Oliver’s sugar levy trial fails to win over experts

By Noli Dinkovski

Nutrition experts have reacted with scepticism to research that found a “significant” link between price and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) following a trial in a chain of restaurants owned by Jamie Oliver.

More foods needed to promote healthy gut microbiomes

Gut microbe health foods needed, says scientist

By Rick Pendrous

A leading gut health scientist and author has called for the development of more foods that stimulate beneficial microbes within people’s stomachs, following new research suggesting cancer sufferers with a healthy gut microbiome respond better to treatment.

What trends are likely to emerge in 2018?

Food and drink predictions for 2018

By Michelle Perrett

Five key trends that are likely to impact the global food and drink market over the coming year have been announced by market intelligence agency Mintel.

A high body mass index is the fourth-largest contributor to the loss of healthy life, the study has found

Poor diet linked to one-in-five global deaths

By Noli Dinkovski

Almost one-in-five deaths globally can be attributed to a poor diet, a major study involving more than 2,500 collaborators from 130 countries has revealed.

Sainsbury's Judith Batchelar called for concerted action on food portion sizes

BNF 50th Anniversary Conference

Sainsbury calls for standardised food portion sizes

By Rick Pendrous

Sainsbury’s director of brand has called for standardisation of food portion sizes to “create a level playing field” in the battle against growing obesity levels in the UK.

Read the Food Manufacture Group's 90th Birthday supplement in the September issue of the Food Manufacture magazine

FOOD MANUFACTURE'S 90TH BIRTHDAY

Nutrition’s future is linked to epigenetics

By Matt Atherton

The science of food nutrition has advanced more over the past 50 years than at any time before, says the British Nutrition Foundation director general Professor Judy Buttriss.

The ban, extended to cover all non-broadcast media was a ‘sticking plaster’: DWF

Kids’ sugar advertising ban is ‘choking the industry’

By Noli Dinkovski

An extension on the ban of advertising high fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) food and drink products to children was an added burden to the “already onerous regulatory restrictions that are choking the industry”, a legal expert in the field has said.

The government focused on calorie reduction in the next phase of its childhood obesity plan

Food industry ‘ready for calorie-reduction challenge’

By Matt Atherton

The food and drink industry will rise to the challenge of helping to reduce children’s calorie intake, says the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), as the government launches the next stage of its childhood obesity plan.

The British Retail Consortium and the Food and Drink Federation have launched a search for sugar alternatives

Manufacturers search for sugar alternatives

By Gwen Ridler

Food and drink firms have called on ingredients manufacturers and researchers to help identify potential sugar alternatives, in a bid to aid companies in reformulating their products and improve public health.

Cereal manufacturers were 'refusing to be transparent' by avoiding colour-coded front of pack nutrition labels, claimed Action on Sugar

Most manufacturers ‘go beyond labelling obligation’

By Matt Atherton

Most food manufacturers go beyond their legal obligation to provide clear nutrition labelling, says the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), after claims manufacturers were “deliberately deceiving” shoppers by not using colour-coded labels on cereal packaging.

Young scientists are being put off starting careers in nutrition research

UK nutrition research faces ‘potential’ crisis

By Noli Dinkovski

Nutrition research in the UK is facing a “potential crisis” and needs to have more food industry involvement if it is going to offer real benefit to people’s health, a new review has claimed.

Half of UK consumers don't know what constitutes as one serving of snacks, claims a new survey

Half of Britons admit to snack serving size confusion

By Gwen Ridler

More than half of UK consumers admit to not knowing what constitutes a single serving of snacks such as crisps, revealed a new survey commissioned by gluten-free snack manufacturer Wellaby’s.

Nestlé plans a 10% reduction in sugar in its breakfast cereals by 2018

Nestlé plans cereal sugar cuts by 10%

By Gwen Ridler

Nestlé plans to cut sugar in its breakfast cereals by a further 10% by the end of 2018, as it continues to reformulate across its product portfolio.

Barry Gardiner, shadow secretary for international trade, will be part of a top line-up at the 2017 FDF Convention

Brexit

Brexit and obesity on agenda at industry convention

By Rick Pendrous

Shadow secretary for international trade Barry Gardiner will lead a top line-up of speakers at the Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF’s) 2017 Convention, which takes place at the British Museum in London on July 11.

The BMA has called for health warnings to be introduced on sugary food packaging

‘More work needed’ after kids’ sugary food ad ban

By Matt Atherton

The ban on adverts for foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) was only the first step in reducing childhood obesity, claimed pressure group Sustain, while doctors have called for health warnings on sugary food packaging.

Processed food debate panellists: (l to r) Tamar Haspel, historian Rachel Laudan, Yoni Freedhoff, Chris Mallett and Richard Black

Reports from IFT17

Firms encouraged to ‘invest in healthier products’

By Michael Stones

Risk-averse food manufacturers need encouragement to invest in healthier products, a nutrition consultant and industry insider told a seminar dedicated to processed food at the US Institute of Food Technology (IFT) Annual Meeting and Food Expo.

Professor Buttriss: ‘The challenge has been to find substitutes that provide the same functionality in food production’

Sat fat replacement research ramps up

By Professor Judy Buttriss

Reducing saturated fat intake has been high on the policy agenda for decades, but the challenge has been to find substitutes that provide the same functionality in food production.

Health benefits: phytosterols can help decrease cholesterol uptake and lower cholesterol in the blood

New plant sterols boost heart health food claims

By Noli Dinkovski

A highly concentrated, water-dispersible source of plant sterols, designed to support cardiovascular health, was unveiled at nutrition show Vitafoods Europe last month.

Sugar tax must be extended beyond soft drinks, says Food Standards Scotland

FSS backs extending sugar tax beyond soft drinks

By Matt Atherton

Advice to extend the sugar tax beyond soft drinks, order the reformulation of products to cut sugar, fat and salt, and lower portion sizes, has won the support of Food Standards Scotland (FSS).

Free school meals are said to be a key weapon in the battle against obesity

Free school meals ‘help in fight against obesity’

By Noli Dinkovski

Obesity levels in children continued to be a “disaster”, but the opportunity to improve their nutritional needs through free school meals remained huge, a public health professor has argued.

All Lucozade Ribena Suntory’s soft drinks will fall below the sugar tax threshold

Lucozade Ribena Suntory cuts sugar to avoid tax charge

By Rick Pendrous

Lucozade Ribena Suntory has committed itself to reformulating all of its UK soft drink brands this year to ensure they will not be hit by the sugar tax that comes into force in April next year.

The Dairy Council launched its Milk Manifesto yesterday (June 1)

Milk Manifesto: nutritionists fight dairy ‘myths’

By Matt Atherton

Dairy foods’ nutrition and health benefits must be recognised and celebrated, according to The Dairy Council, as it launches its Milk Manifesto, backed by nutritionists and academics.

The sugar tax on soft drinks will be set at two bands – 5g and 8g per 100ml

Sugar tax needs to offer more incentive, claims IFS

By Rick Pendrous

The tax on soft drinks, which comes into force in April 2018, needs to be changed to give manufacturers more incentive to reduce the sugar in their products, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has argued.

FoodDrinkEurope pledged to help cut Europe’s calorie intake by 10%

Industry calls for health and nutrition improvements

By Gwen Ridler

FoodDrinkEurope, the European food and drink manufacturers association, has launched a call for action to help improve consumers’ diets and promote good health and nutrition at the European Business Summit yesterday (May 23).

Tesco's strategic adviser Tim Smith. Picture courtesy of Tesco.plc

Tesco wants traffic light labels to include exercise

By Rick Pendrous

Food and drink traffic light nutrition labels should be reviewed to make them more understandable by consumers in the battle against obesity, according to Tesco’s strategic adviser Tim Smith.

The soft drinks tax could be extended to cakes, confectionery and pastry after a two-year review

Tax on sugary drinks may be extended after review

By Rick Pendrous

The sugar tax on soft drinks, which was passed by parliament on Tuesday [April 25] and will come into force next April, could be extended to a raft of other food and drink products, following news that its effectiveness on reducing obesity – particularly...

The nutrition show expects to attract 1,000 exhibitors and 18,500 visitors

SHOW PREVIEW

Vitafoods Europe: grounds for optimism

By Noli Dinkovski

With the UK voting to leave the EU and Donald Trump winning the US presidency, it’s fair to say we’ve had a year of political shocks.

The drinks giant is to provide links on the labels of all its leading brands

Pernod Ricard adds nutrition info link on labels

By Noli Dinkovski

Drinks giant Pernod Ricard is to provide a link to nutrition information on the labels of all of its leading brands, following a move by the European Commission (EC) to allow alcohol firms to propose their own labelling guidelines.

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