Nutrition is key to Britain's health
HealthSecretary John Reid told attendees today at the launch of his
plan to improve the health of the nation.
A balanced diet and exercise form the cornerstones of 'DeliveringChoosing Health', the plan to turn white paper health pledges into reality for local communities.
The plans include a range of actions to help children make healthier choices. Youngsters with support from parents and health workers, will for example be encouraged to draw up personal health plans for life setting out how they will apply tips about eating the right kind of food and how often they should exercise.
According to Reid, children will then be advised and spurred along by community matrons and schools.
The healthy eating part of the campaign is aimed particularly at reducing the major causes of death in England, namely cancer and cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, which together account for almost 60 per cent of premature deaths. About one-third of cancers can be attributed to poor diet and nutrition, according to the publication.
The government has therefore set itself the challenge of improving the nutritional balance of the average diet in England in six steps.
It wants to: increase the average consumption of a variety of fruit and vegetables to at least five portions per day (currently 2.8 portions per day; increase the average intake of dietary fibre to 18 grams per day (currently 13.8 grams per day); reduce the average intake of salt to 6 grams per day by 2010 (currently 9.5 grams per day); reduce the average intake of saturated fat to 11 per cent of food energy (currently 13.3 per cent); maintain the current trend in the average total intake of fat at 35 per cent of food energy (currently 35.3 per cent); and reduce the average intake of added sugar to 11 per cent of food energy (currently 12.7 per cent).
