In August 2005, the Food Standards Agency launched a consultation on proposed targets for levels of salt in key food categories that contribute most to intakes. They sought views on the product categories for which specific targets have been proposed, and the further sub-category breakdowns within these, the proposed targets for levels of salt in these foods and how progress towards these targets might be assessed.

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In July 2005, the Food Standards Agency sought comments on a proposed nutrient profiling model, which the Agency has developed to help support Ofcom's work to further regulate the advertising and promotion to children of foods that are high in fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar.

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The National Heart Forum, Caroline Walker Trust and the Health Education Trust submitted a joint response to the Department for Education and Skills core questions on school food in March.

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In November 2004, the Food Standards Agency launched a formal 12-week consultation on its research to develop a scheme to categorise foods based on the nutrients they contain. The consultation focussed specifically on the scientific basis of the preferred nutrient profiling model, the way in which it has been developed, and its effectiveness?

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In May 2004, the DH launched the Choosing health? Choosing a better diet consultation. This consultation document, Choosing a better diet presents an opportunity to identify action and clarify roles and responsibilities for improving diet and nutrition, within the context of the overall health improvement debate set by Choosing Health?

Also see:
NHF's response to Choosing health?
NHF's response to Choosing health? Choosing activity

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In October 2003, the Food Standards Agency sought views on a model that they developed to examine the effect of reductions in the salt content of different food groups on the overall population intake of salt, and how it might be used to inform future salt reduction activity.

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Launched in July 2003, this consultation aimed to identify the knowledge, skills and competencies young people need to help them adopt a healthy balanced diet.

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The Government published its Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food: Facing the Future in December 2002, building on the broad themes identified by Sir Don Curry's Policy Commission report in January 2002. As part of this, the Department of Health undertook to lead the development of a Food and Health Action Plan. In July 2003 the department of health published a consultation on a Food and Health Problem Analysis for England, as part of phase 1 of the development of the plan. The consultation aims to inform the identification of patterns and trends in nutrient and food intake that impact on health and disease and key influences on diet and eating patterns. Consultation closed on 12 September 2003. Further information is available via the link below.
www.doh.gov.uk/fahap/

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In June 2003, FSA Scotland published its Draft Diet and Nutrition Strategy for consultation. The document aims to support the Agency's overall objectives for nutrition while complementing the activities of partners in taking forward the recommendations of the Scottish Diet Action Plan. It details the objectives and activities planned for the next three years, from 2003 to 2006, and lists some of the key partners involved in taking this work forward. Consultation closed on 12 September 2003. Further details are available via the link below.
www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/Consultations/consultscot/draftdietandnutrition strategy

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March 2003: A diet low in energy-dense foods that are high in saturated fats and sugars, and abundant in fruit and vegetables, together with an active lifestyle are among the key measures recommended to combat chronic disease.
These recommendations have been made in an independent expert report, Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases, prepared for two UN agencies. The report aims to identify new strategies for governments on diet and exercise to tackle the number of people who die each year from chronic diseases.
For further information see: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/releases/2003/pr20/en/

In December 2002, DEFRA launched The strategy for sustainable farming and food: Facing the future. The strategy aims to deliver a more effective, reconnected food chain; restructure farming and food in the global context; enhance the environment; invest in the future; and build healthy communities. The document can be accessed online:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/newstrategy/index.htm

In November 2002, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) issued a draft report which reviewed the evidence regarding salt and health. The report recommends that adults in the UK should reduce salt consumption from the current average of 9g of salt per day to 6g, and for the first time recommends that children of different ages should take in lower amounts. For further information see: http://www.sacn.gov.uk/salt-health-draft-rep.htm

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Department of health consults on proposals for reform of the welfare food scheme.
In October 2002, as part of it's proposals to lay the foundations for the good health of future generations, the department of health launched a review of the welfare foods scheme. Healthy start proposes to widen the choice of 'healthy' foods available to pregnant women and children aged 0-5 years through the scheme. The document also proposes to link the scheme more closely to the NHS primary care system. For further information see: www.doh.gov.uk/healthystart

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In July 2002 the FSA Wales published a draft nutrition strategy for Wales, for consultation. The report presents a series of recommendations to tackle poor diet in Wales and outlines what actions key players should take to effect dietary change. Particular focus is given to priority groups that stand to benefit most from better diet. Consultation has now closed. For further information see www.foodstandards.gov.uk

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In March 2002 DEFRA published a consultation to inform a strategy for sustainable food and farming in England. The document makes suggestions for change, identifies issues outlined by the Policy Commission requiring further discussion and challenges the industry to work together with government to develop practical ways to take things forward. For further information see www.defra.gov.uk

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Government commitments given in the Chief Medical Officer's annual report On the state of public health published 10 December 2001 state that it will work with the food industry to reduce salt levels in processed food. The CMO, Professor Liam Donaldson, gives his support to achieving a national target of no more than six grams of salt per day, based on recommendations agreed by the former Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) in 1994.

The Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) held their annual Salt Awareness Day in January, where they welcomed the government endorsement of lowering of salt levels. The theme of the event was the hidden salt found in so-called healthy diets, highlighting the extreme levels of salt found in processed foods.

There is a large body of evidence that lower dietary salt intakes are associated with decreases in blood pressure. Blood pressure tends to rise with age. Reducing high blood pressure levels is an important means of preventing avoidable disease and death from the major killers of coronary heart disease and stroke.

"Current intake of salt is between 10 and 12 grams per day. Reducing salt intake cannot depend on public information campaigns when most dietary salt is not added at table, but eaten in processed or catered foods. Government work with the food industry to reduce salt levels and to improve food labelling so it is clear how much salt is contained in foods will play a very important part in helping people eat a more healthy balanced diet." Paul Lincoln, National Heart Forum

The National Heart Forum responded in November to the consultation by the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food. The response is broad in its span, including food poverty, nutritional standards, sustainable development, and European Union issues. A pdf copy of the response can be downloaded here, or alternatively, a word version of the document can be obtained by contacting the NHF.

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The NHF responded to the Independent Television Commission's consultation on standards which apply to advertising. The response made particular reference to the cumulative effect of advertising on children, particularly on adverts targeted at children and scheduled to appear during children's TV.

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The EPIC Norfolk study (Lancet 2001; 357: 657-663) of nearly 20,000 men and women aged between 45 and 79 in East Anglia looked at dietary ascorbic acid (vitamin C) intake and subsequent mortality from all causes over four years. The researchers found that the mortality risk in individuals with the highest consumption of ascorbic acid was just half of those with the lowest consumption rates. Modest increases in consumption - equivalent to 50 grams, or one piece of fruit or portion of vegetables - showed a significant reduction in mortality. The effects persisted when age, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking, diabetes and the use of dietary supplements were taken into account. Professor Kay-Tee Khaw, individual member of the NHF, led the research team in the department of public health and primary care at Cambridge University.

Results of the Physicians’ Health Study (International Journal of Epidemiology 2001; 30:130-135) which looked at over 22,000 male American doctors aged between 40 and 84 over 12 years, also show that higher intake of vegetables was associated with lower risk of coronary heart disease, independent of known coronary risk factors. In this study, men in the highest consumption category were eating on average only three portions of vegetables per day, yet had 25% lower risk of coronary heart disease compared to those in the lowest category (eating just over half a portion a day). Fruit intake was not measured in the course of this study.

Nutritional standards for school lunches were reintroduced in schools from 1 April 2001.

Backed by legislation, the standards stipulate the minimum provision of foods from the different food groups for lunches served in nursery, primary and secondary schools maintained by local education authorities (LEAs). Statutory responsibility for ensuring that these standards are met fall to local education authorities or, in the case of schools with delegated school meals budgets, to school governors.

In June a campaign was launched to introduce a Bill in the Scottish Parliament that will provide universally free and nutritional school meals for children in Scotland. The campaign is being led by NHF member organisation, the Child Poverty Action Group. The Bill proposes free school meals to all those in primary, secondary and special needs local authority- managed schools in Scotland. Its introduction would address the problem of low uptake of free meals, as universally free meals will be free of any stigma and there will be no differentiation between children from differing backgrounds. The campaign also puts forward nutritional standards for school meals to safeguard the vital nutritional contribution made by school meals to children's diets. These standards will complement and go beyond the current minimum nutritional standards in England introduced in April.