Sir, Will Monday’s announcement by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo that fast-food and café chains will start displaying calorie counts on menus make any difference to growing levels of obesity?
True the new scheme has its fl aws, the scheme does not go far enough, because fat, salt and sugar content will not be published. Low calorie snacks could, for example, have a high salt content, which may put the consumer at risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
However, I am encouraged by the move, not because I think it will change people’s eating habits overnight, but because it is recognition from Government that they have to adopt a holistic communications strategy to tackling obesity. It also represents a positive and co-ordinated step forward from the fast-food industry, which has so often been unfairly pilloried as the cause of the nation’s health problems.
While many of them have taken individual steps to reduce the fat, salt and sugar content of their menus, by acting together they are
actively confronting the industry’s critics head-on.
The Government seems to have finally got its act together and recognised that people need information when buying food to eat at
home and importantly while eating out. The Department of Health’s Change4Life anti-obesity programme has been in full swing
for several months. Its easy to access messages and engaging animated approach mean the campaign should also deliver results.
Michael Bennett, MD, Pelican PR
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