Dear Colleagues

Attached a press release from DoH in England on launch of new plan by DoH and Department of  Environment, Food and Rural Affairs today which may be of interest to you.

The Plan will address food production, manufacture and preparation, access to healthier food and providing information for consumers about healthy eating and nutrition. It will build on existing work to improve diet and nutrition including: reforming the Welfare Food Scheme, the National School Fruit Scheme, the Five-a-Day programme to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, work with industry to reduce salt, fat and sugar in the diet, local action to tackle obesity and increase physical activity and the hospital nutrition policy.
The strategy for sustainable farming and food is available at
http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/newstrategy/index.htm
David McDaid
LSE Health amd Social Care
Press Release 12/12/2002
Also at http://www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/IntPress.nsf/page/2002-0521?OpenDocument

IMPROVING THE NATION'S HEALTH: GOVERNMENT TO PRODUCE FOOD AND HEALTH ACTION PLAN
The Government is to work with the food industry and consumers to produce a Food and Health Action Plan aimed at improving the nation's health through encouraging people to eat a better diet.

The Food and Health Action Plan, led by the Department of Health, will form part of the Government's Strategy for Sustainable Food and Farming launched today by the Prime Minister Tony Blair and Defra Secretary of State Margaret Beckett.

Up to a third of deaths from cancer and heart disease - the country's two biggest killers - could be prevented by better diet. Co-ordinated action on diet and nutrition will also contribute to improved health in other areas, by reducing hypertension and helping to prevent diabetes and obesity. 

The Plan will address food production, manufacture and preparation, access to healthier food and providing information for consumers about healthy eating and nutrition. It will build on existing work to improve diet and nutrition including:
*       reforming the Welfare Food Scheme, 
*       the National School Fruit Scheme, 
*       the Five-a-Day programme to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, 
*       work with undustry to reduce salt, fat and sugar in the diet, 
*       local action to tackle obesity and increase physical activity and 
*       the hospital nutrition policy.

The Food and Health Action Plan will pull together all of the issues that influence what we eat. Action will involve all sections of the food chain including food growing, food processing, manufacture, retailers, caterers and consumers. The Plan will also promote stronger links between health organisations and food growers and producers.

In addition, the Institute of Grocery Distribution, in conjunction with the Food Chain Centre will be asked to undertake analyses of the impact of existing nutrition initiatives such as the National School Fruit Scheme and the Five-a-day Programme, on the food chain. This will highlight commercial opportunities for English farmers and growers and other sectors of the food industry.

Public Health Minister Hazel Blears said:

"The food we eat and the way it is produced has an enormous impact on our health. Our vision is of better health for everyone. We are especially concerned to see improvements that will benefit the people who are most at risk from poor health caused by diet including people on low incomes, pregnant women and children in the early years of life.

"We have a huge opportunity to build on our work with all sections of the food and farming industries to pursue common objectives and to deliver better health."

Defra Secretary of State Margaret Beckett said:

"The food and farming industries have a vital role to play in developing and delivering the Government's objectives to improve the nation's health. I am delighted that the Government and industry are going to be working so closely together - and that the commercial advantage from these ideas will be maximised."

Notes to editors

1. The Strategy for Sustainable Food and Farming is available from Defra www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain or by calling the Defra Helpline on 08459 33 55 77 or by e-mail at [log in to unmask] For further information please call Kevan McClair in the Defra press office on 020 7238 6054.

2. The Five-a-day programme has five strands: 
*       The National School Fruit Scheme, which aims to be fully operational by 2004, will entitle every infant school child aged 4-6 a free piece of fruit each school day as part of a national campaign to improve the diet of children. 
*       Five-a-day community initiatives which are being developed by Primary Care Trusts to increase access to and availability of fruit and vegetables within disadvantaged communities. These are informed by lessons from five pilot initiatives, which targeted over 1 million people. The pilot initiatives suggested that community initiatives can produce important changes in people's knowledge, access and intake of fruit and vegetables. 
*       Communications programme to raise awareness of the health benefits of fruit and vegetables - particularly targeting those groups with the lowest consumption. 
*       Work with the food industry - producers, retailers and caterers which aims to increase provision and improve access to fruit and vegetables for the general public. 
*       Evaluation and monitoring - Each element of the programme will be evaluated and monitored - including measurement of access, awareness, knowledge of health benefits and consumption.

3. Five-a-day community initiatives aim to increase access to and availability of fruit and vegetables within disadvantaged communities. The pilot initiatives, which targeted over one million people, suggested that community initiatives can produce important changes in people's knowledge, access and intake of fruit and vegetables. Key findings are that: 
*       Overall, the intervention was found to have had a positive effect in people with the lowest intakes - this is important for addressing inequalities in health. 
*       Frequency of intake was found to be an important determinant of total fruit and vegetable consumption. Low consumers should be advised to eat fruit and vegetables more often. 

4. The Five-a-day Programme was first announced in the NHS Plan in July 2000. It aims to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and access to information on the benefits of eating a healthy balanced diet. The general Five-a-day message is that all fresh, frozen, canned and dried and 100% juiced fruit and vegetables count. A portion is approximately 80g, equivalent to a medium apple or banana, a bowl of mixed salad or three tablespoons of peas or carrots. 

5. Information on the Five-a-day programme is available from the Department of Health's website www.doh.gov.uk/fiveaday

6. The SACN Sub-group on salt has recently issued a draft report for consultation. The report supports previous recommendations for reductions in population average intakes in salt from 9g to 6g per day. A meeting is being set up to enable the CMO to meet representatives from industry in early 2003. In November the Secretary of State called on the food industry to acknowledge that the evidence on salt is robust and to take a meaningful lead in reducing salt in processed foods. A stakeholders meeting is being planned to discuss the action required to address dietary salt intake. This event will be held jointly by DH and the Food Standards Agency, and will be held following the publication of the final SACN Sub-group report on salt (early 2003). 

7. The Infant Feeding Initiative, launched in 1999, aims to increase the incidence and duration of breastfeeding, particularly among groups with the lowest rates - currently exploring ways to evaluate and disseminate results. There is also a new target for the NHS target to deliver an increase of 2 percentage points per year in breastfeeding initiation rate, focusing especially on women from disadvantaged groups. National Breastfeeding Awareness Week, held annually, aims to help to normalise breastfeeding through the provision of materials for the NHS. 

8. In 1980 6% of men and 8% of women were categorised as obese. By 2000 these figures had risen to 21% of men and women. Overweight and obesity are defined by the Body Mass Index (BMI) which is calculated by dividing your weight in kilogrammes by your height in metres squared. A BMI over 25 is defined as overweight, and over 30 is defined as obese. Information on obesity and other health issues is available from NHS Direct www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

9. For further information please contact Rachel Clinton in the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5623.