UK government seeks health policy advice...from fast food companies

By Sarah Best.

Yes, unfortunately you did read that right.

In a move that campaigners have compared to "handing smoking policy over to the tobacco industry", the UK government has set up five "networks" - dominated by what can only be called highly vested industry interests - to advise it on matters of health policy. 

Yes - The Department of Health has asked none other than McDonald's, KFC, PepsiCo and Mars for advice on tackling various diet and health issues, including the obesity crisis. Also called upon by the government to lend their expertise in this area are several other peddlers of processed food - including the catering company outed by Jamie Oliver for including the much-maligned Turkey Twizzler in its school lunch menus.

What on earth is going on? Next thing we know the government will be appointing the head of The Wine and Spirit Trade Association as a key adviser on responsible alcohol consumption. Ah......it already has. 

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, former president of the Royal College of Physicians, told The Guardian that he questioned whether there could be "a meaningful convergence between the interests of industry and public health" since the priority of the drinks industry was to "make money for shareholders while public health [demands] a cut in consumption".

He added: "On alcohol there is undoubtedly a need for regulation on price, availability and marketing and there is a risk that discussions will be deflected away from regulation that is likely to be effective but would affect sales. On food labelling we have listened too much to the supermarkets rather than going for traffic lights [warnings] which health experts recommend."

The UK's leading supermarket chains are also strongly represented on the Department of Health's five "responsibility deal networks" along with - on a more positive note - consumer groups Which? and The Faculty of Public Health. We applaud the latter for calling for a ban on trans fats and for minimum alcohol pricing.

In our opinion, if the government were really serious about improving the nation's health, one of the first things it would do is apply a hefty tax to junk foods and use the revenues raised to subsidise organic fruit and vegetables. (Read our article "When will there be a tax on junk food?" for more on why this would ultimately benefit everyone other than those who benefit financially from the sale of processed food and drink products.)

But using the pricing of food or alcohol to change patterns of consumption has reportedly already been ruled out. However, the industry representatives have apparently been invited to identify barriers, such as EU legislation, that they would like to see removed. How looser regulation of the processed food and drinks industry is likely to help public health is anyone's guess.  

Comments

[david]

I wish this was a bad joke.
The government is clearly clueless with regards to health.
A new government ? The organic, living, raw superfood party ? why not ? :-)

[Tamara]

Best suggestion - involve the supermarkets in dropping their (EU) demand for 'uniform' fruit and veg so we can have wonky carrots and all shapes and sizes of apples...

[Tamara]

More likely to implement desired change by getting them on board than attacking them!!