Nutrition experts have accused the food industry of threatening the health and wellbeing of vulnerable sectors of society by making foods of increasingly insignificant nutritional value.
Survey data on UK diet and nutrition by the Food Standard Agency's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) indicated most people were failing to meet dietary intake recommendations in most categories. A late draft of a SACN report, due for publication later this year, highlighted concern for consumers aged under 25 and above 65, smokers and the poor.
SACN member Dr Anthony Williams, a senior lecturer and consultant in neonatal paediatrics at St George's Hospital in London, questioned whether the call for health initiatives tackling these target groups would work. SACN chairman, Alan Jackson, professor of human nutrition in the School of Medicine at the University of Southampton replied: "It's the delivery of the improvement where the answer falls to pieces."
Another member, marketing specialist Christine Gratus, said: "Things aren't working and nobody wants to admit that."
Recommendations were completely achieved in just two out of 13 categories covered by the National Diet and Nutrition Survey data: reducing average fat intake to 35% of food energy; and cutting energy intake below estimated average requirements.
In the report, SACN will note: "Improving the quality of diets of children and young adults is an important area for investment."
The results of a separate low-income diet and nutrition survey, due to be presented at a conference this month (July) organised by the Nutrition Society, will help with understanding and ways of addressing barriers to improving the quality and variety of diets of low-income groups, SACN said.
The Committee also noted the absence of national data to describe the nutritional status of pregnant women, black and ethnic minority groups or children aged under 18 months.
The British Dietetic Association (BDA), representing registered dieticians, has launched Make Nutrition Matter, a manifesto that sets out key standards for dieticians.
"While much has been done to publicise and debate the right approach to improving nutritional health across the UK, progress is slow," said BDA chairman Judith Catherwood.