Sustain Welcome Revised “Eatwell” UK Dietary Guidelines

18 Mar 2016 --- Public Health England's (PHE) new Eatwell guide has removed junk food as "not an essential part of a balanced diet". The guidance has also considered its impact on sustainability for the first time.

In response to the relaunched "Eatwell" dietary guidance from the UK Government, Ben Reynolds, Deputy Coordinator of Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming commented: “The revisions to government advice on what constitutes a healthy and sustainable diet are welcome.” 

“The new guidance clearly shows that chocolates, crisps and junk food are not an essential part of a balanced diet but rather a treat on the side. We welcome the recognition that diet has an impact beyond health, and that what we eat, and how that food is produced, affects things such as climate change.”
 
“The Guide's recommendations are the flip side to Wednesday's announcement by the Chancellor of a sugary drinks tax, recognizing the importance of hydration but that we should limit drinks with a high sugar content. Manufacturers and brands now need to shift their marketing budgets to better reflect these new guidelines, rather than continue to push high fat, salt, sugar products way in excess of their recommended consumption."

Clare Oxborrow, chair of Eating Better, which Sustain supports, added: “We welcome the steps PHE has taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from diets in its revision of the Eatwell guide, and its recommendation to reduce processed and red meat consumption and eat more beans & pulses.”

“More could be done to fully integrate sustainability into the UK's dietary guidelines – but this is a good start.”

“With 6 out of 10 men and 1 in 3 women already consuming more processed and red meat than is good for their health, there are win-wins for health as well as for the planet in providing the public with this advice.”