Food Standards Agency Calorie Labelling Does Not Go Far Enough Says British Heart Foundation

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 16 Jan 2009 - 0:00 PST

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In response to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) plans to introduce calorie labelling in a range of catering outlets, Ruairi O'Connor, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said:

"As one-in-six meals are eaten outside the home we should be encouraging people to think about what they eat (1). Whilst we welcome this first step in improving the information available to people, calorie labelling alone does not help people understand the damage unhealthy food may be doing to their health.

"Nutritional information must include salt and saturated fat content, too much of which contributes to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and increases the risk of heart disease.

"We believe a colour based labelling system - similar to traffic light labelling used on products in shops - could give people 'at a glance' information about the food they buy when they're eating out helping them make informed, healthier food choices."

(1) DEFRA Family Food Survey 2008

- The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is leading the battle against heart and circulatory disease - the UK's biggest killer. The charity is a major funder and authority in cardiovascular research. It plays an important role in education, both of the public and of health professionals, and in providing life-saving cardiac equipment and support for rehabilitation and care.

British Heart Foundation

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