Health and Vitality
Food brands not backing their own “low-sugar” products
Mars, Nestlé and Cadbury have been accused of not supporting their own reduced- or low-sugar products. They are “frightened” that these new options could affect their established brands, Jack Winkler, emeritus professor of nutrition policy at London Metropolitan University. “They…
Hospitality workers value pals over pay
‘Tis the time of year when staff start thinking about moving jobs – but how can you encourage them to stay? More money? Extra benefits? Flexible working? Think again. When asked to choose the top three factors that would make…
Food labels should show calorie burn
Labelling food and drinks with the amount and type of physical activity needed to burn off the calories in it might be a more effective way of encouraging people to make “healthier” dietary choices, according to research led by Loughborough…
Is obesity a political priority?
Tackling obesity was one of the priorities set out by food sector stakeholders ahead of this month’s general election. But is it a priority for the political parties? A sift through the manifestos shows a range of policies on offer:…
Time to take away the tray?
Too many companies view food service as a commodity or a cost to their business, as opposed to a support service that nurtures people and can have a dramatic impact on culture, productivity and success. By Chris Sheppardson. The steady…
Extra powers needed to halt surge in “unhealthy” takeaways
New planning policies are needed to restrict the growth of hot food takeaways, according to a new report. Sustain’s analysis found that McDonald’s and KFC are eyeing up 800 new sites in an “aggressive expansion plan”, putting the government’s target…
CMO’s report on obesity: initial reaction
The chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies has published her analysis of how the government can best tackle childhood obesity. Within the first page or so it was obvious this was going to be a pretty damning assessment of…
Children call for widespread alcohol advertising bans
Marketing of alcoholic drinks needs to be restricted, including at sporting events and on holiday, according to research conducted by children. Members of the Children’s Parliament in Scotland found that young people are being frequently exposed to alcohol through marketing,…
OOH ‘hidden sugar’ leads to calls for mandatory labelling
Another day, another analysis of the unhealthy offerings in the UK’s out of home (OOH) sector. What’s the story? Action on Sugar surveyed 191 products from restaurants, cafés and takeaways (including 94 crepes, 12 pancakes, 16 pretzels and 69 waffles…
Plastic pollution health risks: we need to know more, says WHO
Microplastics in drinking water “don’t appear to pose a health risk” at current levels but there are a number of “gaps” in the research, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). “Quality-assured toxicological data are needed on the most common…