Obesity

Hard to swallow? The government should update its advice on portion sizes: BHF

Urgent action need on food portion sizes: charity

By Michael Stones

The government should update its advice on food portion sizes urgently, warns a leading charity, after researchers advised smaller food packages could help to cut Britain’s obesity crisis. 

Cutting portion sizes and packaging could help beat obesity

Smaller food and drink packages can 'beat obesity'

By Michael Stones

Smaller food and drink packages sold in supermarkets and smaller portions served at home and in restaurants could help beat Britain’s obesity crisis, claims news research from the University of Cambridge.

A petition started by Oliver could force a parliamentary sugar debate

Jamie wins 100k signatures to force sugar tax debate

By Laurence Gibbons

The government will be forced to consider debating whether to tax sugary drinks after a petition calling for the move by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver gained more than 100,000 signatures.

Jamie Oliver has called for a tax on sugary drinks

Jamie slammed by food manufacturers over obesity

By Laurence Gibbons

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has been slammed by food and drink manufacturers for “over-simplifying” the obesity debate and of having double standards surrounding nutritional information in his restaurants.

Just 5% of daily energy intake should come from free sugars, SACN urges

From free sugar to sugar-free

By Lynda Searby

Is a renewed focus on sugar reduction an inevitable consequence of the SACN recommendations? Lynda Searby digests the report and its implications for the food industry.

Graze boss Anthony Fletcher has led the firm into bricks and mortar retail

‘Guilt lane’ abolition is prime target for food firms

By Nicholas Robinson

Manufacturers should prime themselves to take advantage of the supermarkets’ abolition of ‘guilt lanes’ by making healthy alternatives to chocolates and sweets to stock at checkouts, like the online snack manufacturer Graze has done, its boss has said.

Rick Pendrous, editor, Food Manufacture

What prospect for food should Corbyn win?

By Rick Pendrous

Jeremy Corbyn, who is leading the other candidates in the polls to become the next leader of the Labour Party, divides opinion. Those on the right see him as an unreconstructed leftie who would make Labour unelectable. His fans – including many young...

Rick Pendrous, editor, Food Manufacture

Never mind free sugar, what about the fibre?

By Rick Pendrous

Judging from the press coverage it received, it would be easy to get the impression that the recommendations to halve the total daily energy intake derived from free sugars in people's diets from 10% to 5% a day was the only thing of any significance...

5% sugar reduction 'dramatic' for some on Twitter

SACN report

Twitterati: industry should lower sugar after SACN

By Nicholas Robinson

Manufacturers must do more to help consumers halve their overall energy intake from free-sugars to less than 5%, commentators on Twitter have urged after the release of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition's report on carbohydrates today.

Tipping the balance against sugar? Recommended daily intake of sugar should be halved, said SACN

SACN report

Sugar intake should be halved, says SACN report

By Michael Stones

The government should halve the recommended daily intake of sugar, an influential committee of nutrition experts has advised in a widely anticipated report.

'Nothing new about sugar' in the SACN report, industry leaders say

SACN report

Industry: SACN report says ‘nothing new’

By Nicholas Robinson

There’s “nothing new about sugar” in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition's (SACN’s) report on carbohydrates, but more needs to be done to increase fibre intake, food and drink manufacturing leaders have said.

A 20% tax on sugary drinks would reduce obesity in 180,000 Brits, according to the BMA

20% sugary drinks tax ‘ineffective’, says industry

By Nicholas Robinson

The food and drink industry has slammed the British Medical Association’s (BMA’s) calls for a tax on sugary drinks to fight the UK’s growing obesity crisis, claiming it would be ineffective.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents thought the overweight should pay more

Poll: Obese should pay more towards NHS

By Nicholas Robinson

The cost of combating Britain’s obesity crises should not be footed by the taxpayer and consumers who overindulge should instead pay more towards the National Health Service (NHS).

Should fat people pay more for health care?

Obese should pay more for NHS care

By Nicholas Robinson

People who abuse their bodies by eating poorly and not exercising enough should pay more towards the National Health Service (NHS) than those who take better care of themselves, a business strategist has controversially suggested.

FDF boss Ian Wright has slammed NHS criticism of the industry's record on sugar

Food manufacturing boss slams NHS sugar criticism

By Michael Stones

A leading food and drink industry boss has slammed criticism of the sector’s record on curbing sugar levels voiced by the chief executive of the National Health Service England (NHS).

Scotland would be an 'ideal' place to implement a tax on sugar first

Sugar tax pushed by Scotland doctors

By Nicholas Robinson

A call for a tax on sugary food and drinks from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh today will hike the pressure on industry to help tackle the UK’s obesity epidemic by making products healthier.

High sugary foods are being partially blamed for the UK's obesity epidemic

AoS ‘wrong about fruit-based snacks’ – nutritionists

By Nicholas Robinson

Action on Sugar’s (AoS’s) latest research into fruit-based snacks masks useful nutritional information, confusing parents and potentially stopping children from having healthier treats, nutritionists have warned.

The report claimed people and veg prices are getting larger and processed food costs are getting smaller

Food prices ‘drive’ obesity epidemic

By Laurence Gibbons

The price of vegetables has risen by a whopping 199% in the past 30 years in the UK while the cost of an ice cream has fallen by 50%, driving the UK’s obesity epidemic, a new report has claimed.

The new transatlantic partnership will boost food science and technology

Food science gets transatlantic partnership boost

By Michael Stones

Sharing the latest information on food science and technology is the aim of a new transatlantic partnership forged between the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST) and the US Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

Nick Clegg won praise for his manifesto's commitment to EU membership

Liberal Democrat manifesto to ‘finish the job’

By Michael Stones

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg launched his party’s manifesto on Wednesday (April 15) claiming that it built on a record of policies delivered in national government.

Business leaders gave a mixed reaction to Labour's manifesto

Election 2015

Labour plans draw mixed reaction from business

By Michael Stones

Business leaders have given a mixed response to Labour’s manifesto published on Monday (April 13), with praise for its commitment to EU membership but criticism of its curb on zero-hours contracts.

The Labour manifesto pledged a long-term strategy for the food sector

Election 2015

Labour’s manifesto: food industry implications

By Michael Stones

Labour pledged to expand the role of the supermarket watchdog to protect food producers, create better paid jobs and apprenticeships across the rural economy, while creating a “world-leading food, farm and fisheries sector” in its manifesto released yesterday...

There is still too much fat in Danes's diet

Too much fat in Danes's diet

By Nicholas Robinson

The Danish have increased their intake of fish and vegetables and reduced their consumption of sugary soft drinks, but are still eating too much fat, according to findings from the latest Danish national diet survey.

Clark: we are likely to see tougher regulation to stem rising levels of obesity in the UK

Food Vision

Tougher rules likely to curb UK obesity levels

By Laurence Gibbons

UK food and drink manufacturers could be hit by more stringent regulation in a bid to curb rising obesity levels and reduce the burden on the National Health Service, experts have said.

WHO issued a strong recommendation for sugar to form less than 10% of an individual’s daily energy intake

Food firms ‘sow seeds of doubt’ in WHO

By Rod Addy

World Health Organisation (WHO) sugar guidance is “disappointing” and suggests food firms have persuaded it to take a softer line on consumption, claims pressure group Action on Sugar (AoS).

Monster Khaos Energy + Juice was cited as an energy drink containing less sugar

Trade body shuns attack on energy drinks

By Rod Addy

The British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) has rejected calls to ban the sale of energy drinks to children under 16, claiming they are not promoted to this age group.

High-protein breakfast key for people with Type 2 diabetes

Breakfast is key for diabetics

By Nicholas Robinson

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for people with type 2 diabetes, an international study has claimed.

It's health o'clock: innovation will help firms exploit three key trends

Innovation to shape food industry’s future

By Michael Stones

Innovation is likely to shape the future of the future industry in a market dominated by lack of growth, price pressure from food retailers and changing consumer behaviour, according to a new report from Rabobank.

Bruce-Gardyne: 'Gluten-free recipes are so difficult to change'

Business Leaders' Forum

Gluten-free sector would be hit hard by sugar and fat taxes

By Nicholas Robinson

Gluten-free (GF) food manufacturers would be hit hard by taxes on high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) content, as calls to make food and drink healthier would leave the sector struggling to reformulate, bosses have warned.

It was 'madness' to undermine the credibility of food science with unsubstantiated allegations, said the IFST

Food industry slams BMJ sugar row ‘madness’

By Michael Stones

Food manufacturers and scientists have hit back at “the madness” of British Medical Journal (BMJ), in publishing a survey which claimed the government’s scientific advisers on obesity were swayed by industry funding.

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