Health and Vitality

  • Not what it says on the tin

    Not what it says on the tin

    Almost a third of food products are identically or similarly branded but have a different composition, according to research published by the European Commission. The pan-European analysis, carried out by the Commission’s in-house science and knowledge service, the Joint Research… Read More

  • £1m plan to teach children about food

    £1m plan to teach children about food

    Scotland has announced a £1m food education programme to teach young people about Scotland’s food industry and encourage healthy eating. The Good Food Futures programme will provide children with “a greater understanding of where food comes from and the many… Read More

  • “Trailblazer” councils receive £1.5m to tackle obesity

    “Trailblazer” councils receive £1.5m to tackle obesity

    Restaurants and takeaways that improve menus and incentivise healthier options will be offered free waste removal and subsidised advertising rates. The trial, led by Blackburn with Darwen council, is one of a number of initiatives being funded and supported by… Read More

  • Processed meat and sugar cut from school menus

    Processed meat and sugar cut from school menus

    Scotland has set maximum limits for consumption of sugar and certain types of meat in school meals. School food regulations will be amended for the first time in 10 years to ensure: a maximum amount of red and processed red… Read More

  • Food safety and standards under “strain” as checks are missed

    Food safety and standards under “strain” as checks are missed

    Some local authorities are failing to meet their legal responsibilities to ensure food businesses comply with food laws, according to a report by the National Audit Office. The proportion of hygiene checks of businesses (including detecting unsafe food) that were… Read More

  • Plain packaging policy needed for unhealthy food and drink, says IPPR

    Plain packaging policy needed for unhealthy food and drink, says IPPR

    Sweets, crisps and sugary drinks need to be put on a level playing-field with fruit and vegetables if the UK is to win the battle against preventable diseases, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research. The IPPR report, Ending… Read More

  • Energy drinks ban in Scottish hospitals

    Energy drinks ban in Scottish hospitals

    Shops within hospitals will not be permitted to sell energy drinks to anyone under the age of 16. The new restriction, which will apply to drinks with an added caffeine content of more than 150mg/litre, will also be matched by… Read More

  • Healthy Eating Week reaches far and wide

    Healthy Eating Week reaches far and wide

    Over 4,400 schools and nurseries, representing nearly two million children and young people, and 1,850 workplaces (or workplace teams), colleges and universities, representing over 800,000 adults, have registered to take part in this week’s British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) Healthy Eating… Read More

  • Will a ‘dream’ to tax unhealthy food become a reality?

    Will a ‘dream’ to tax unhealthy food become a reality?

    Given the nature of her public statements, the industry shouldn’t be surprised if, in a review commissioned by the government, England’s chief medical officer recommends the taxing of unhealthy foods, writes David Burrows. Health secretary Matt Hancock has commissioned England’s… Read More

  • 48% of diners confused by labelling rules for allergens

    48% of diners confused by labelling rules for allergens

    Only 52% of diners looking for allergen information understand the labelling regulations, according to new research. When quizzed about the rules, 23% thought the labelling regulations for food that is freshly prepped and packaged in a food outlet for direct… Read More