Health and Vitality

  • Health experts call for antibiotic use ban on farms

    Health experts call for antibiotic use ban on farms

    Ten of the UK’s most senior medics have called on the government to ban preventative antibiotic group treatments in livestock. In a short letter, the experts warned that failure to enforce a ban “will result in the UK having some…

  • Soft drinks tax brings in £150 million

    Soft drinks tax brings in £150 million

    Soft drinks manufacturers and traders have paid an extra £153.8 million in tax since April, due to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL). The tax was introduced in April 2018 and applies to the packaging and importation of soft drinks…

  • Benefits of plant-based diets need to be reflected in dietary guidelines

    Benefits of plant-based diets need to be reflected in dietary guidelines

    Well-balanced and predominantly plant-based diets can lead to improved nutrient levels, reduce premature deaths from chronic diseases by more than 20%, and lower greenhouse gas emissions, fertiliser application, and cropland and freshwater use, according to new research. The study, published…

  • Further decline in vital meals on wheels services

    Further decline in vital meals on wheels services

    Almost one in four (24%) UK councils have stopped offering meals on wheels since 2014, according to new research by the National Association of Care Catering (NACC). The service, through the provision of a hot, nutritious meal, enables the elderly…

  • Sales of sugary drinks in hospitals will be cut to 10%

    Sales of sugary drinks in hospitals will be cut to 10%

    Every NHS hospital has agreed to reduce sales of sugar-sweetened drinks to 10% or less of their total drinks sales. NHS England introduced cash rewards for those that hit the target last year, and more and more trusts have signed…

  • The move to meat-free

    The move to meat-free

    Health, social media and effective campaigning are driving the shift to meat-free and flexitarian diets, explains Roisin Monaghan from Pragma Consulting. Over a quarter of meat-eating Brits have reduced or limited their meat consumption in the last six months, and…

  • Restaurants taking notice of plant-based push

    Restaurants taking notice of plant-based push

    One in two chefs (51%) has added vegan options to their menus this year, up from 31% in 2017, according to research by Foodable Labs. The research, which is referenced here but does appear on Foodable’s website, also found that…

  • Mediterranean diets could lower depression

    Mediterranean diets could lower depression

    A diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, plant-based food and fish, typical of a traditional Mediterranean diet, could help lower the risk of depression, according to new research. Researchers from the UK, Spain and Australia analysed data from 41 studies, and…

  • Brits stop eating greens

    Brits stop eating greens

    More than two thirds (68%) of Brits have not eaten a single green vegetable in at least a week, whilst 4% haven’t done so in a month or more. The poll of 1,500 adults, conducted by Organic UK, also showed…

  • Spoiler alert for calorie labels

    Spoiler alert for calorie labels

    Adding calorie counts to menus will make eating out more regulated, more systematic, and just a tad more miserable, says Sara Petersson. Today over 60% of the UK population is overweight or obese. These are worrying statistics. Perhaps in a…