The health of the nation is rapidly moving up the government's agenda and, if pressure groups and media reports are to be believed, the food and drink industry is responsible for increasing obesity, heart attacks, cancer, diabetes and pressure on the health service. According to the government's draft Food and Health Problem Analysis paper, out for consultation, a third of all deaths from coronary heart disease alone are attributable to dietary factors, at a cost of £10bn annually. Convenience and snack foods, products for kids, takeaway food, processed foods, alcohol and kids advertising have all come under attack. In the US, lawyers anticipate fat pay cheques as they urge consumers to take fast food operators such as McDonald's to court. It could happen here. So far, McDonald's has fought off litigation, but the food retail industry is sufficiently worried to take matters into its own hands. Last week Kraft Foods, owned by tobacco company Altria Group (formerly Philip Morris), said it would make significant changes to the ingredients, portion sizes and the way it markets products to children, including the elimination of the various forms of in-school marketing. The UK industry has responded to the flak with a simple message: stop demonising certain foods and instead concentrate on a consistent practical message of a balanced diet based on the realities of consumer behaviour. The Food and Drink Federation, British Retail Consortium, NFU and British Hospitality Association this week presented a joint response to the analysis paper. The paper is the first stage towards a national Food and Health Action Plan, to be published at the end of the year. This will be a clear statement of government policy, activities and intent for bringing about a healthier diet for the people of England. Richard Ali, director of food policy at the BRC, said: "A healthy nation is important. But this can't be achieved without a government strategy that recognises real choice." The industry calls for education and physical activity to be included as policy drivers. "There are numerous influences on diet and lifestyle and their interaction is complex. It will be essential to identify and focus on the principal ones. Education can inform consumers what is a good diet and this can influence their choice. Physical activity also plays a key role and this needs to be given more prominence." And a consistent message and approach are vital if the government is to succeed in its objective. "We need to get rid of dogma and take a practical approach. We need to see what real consumers are doing. Otherwise the exercise is worthless," says FDF deputy director general Martin Paterson. The industry says it is perfectly placed to deliver this consumer insight. Brand owners and retailers' entire businesses are built on consumer understanding. Psychological factors such as stress and boredom as well as habit, enjoyment and food's role in entertainment need to be considered. Of particular importance is the need to avoid demonising convenience foods across the board as these are now part of modern lifestyle. And the industry points out that manufacturers have reduced salt levels in products ­ salt content in own label processed foods has fallen 10-15%. According to Paterson, a key issue is that consumers do not understand what makes a balanced diet. "Even when they do understand a healthy diet, this does not necessarily translate to action." This is supported by the findings of the first The Grocer/ID Magasin Consumer Focus Group. More work needs to be done on analysing current mechanisms created to improve diet, such as initiatives like 5-a-Day. This way, the most effective methods can be built upon. The four sectors recognise that, for any strategy to be effective, actions must be inclusive and realistic. Now it is up to government to take the same joined-up, practical approach. >>p38 Focus Group findings {{ANALYSIS }}

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