Better Health” is the new government initiative set to tighten the belt loops on the nation after the “wake-up call” of Covid-19. It pledges to “get the nation fit and healthy, protect themselves against Covid-19 and protect the NHS”. The measures include banning TV adverts of high fat and sugary food before 9pm, ending buy one get one free offers on high calorie foods and introducing calorie counting labels on restaurant menus, alcoholic drinks and the front of all food packaging.
This move concerns many nutritionists. They argue that a “walk of shame” every time someone buys a pack of Jammy Dodgers or McDonald’s double cheeseburger is not a good way to deal with unhealthy eating. Rather, there needs to be a societal shift in the way we think about food. As food experts, psychologists and performance nutritionists have all argued, even our transport systems funnel us into fast food networks: train stations and workplaces are filled with unhealthy fast food restaurants.
According to a recent report by the Royal Society for Public Health, over one in three of us buy food on an impulse if it’s on special offer. Another recent study by the Office for National Statistics shows that over a third of people in the UK underestimate their calorie intake. Many dieting websites and companies suggest calorie counting as a way of tackling the problem. But as the NHS confirms, different calories have different values. For example, 100 calories of apple will have a very different effect on your health than 100 calories of chocolate.
