Food Active Supporter Bulletin
March 2017

Food Active was pleased to find plans for the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) remained unchanged in the Spring 2017 Budget announcement last week.

Whilst the expected revenue from the tax is forecast to be lower than previously anticipated, this is due to the number of positive product reformulations industry has been making to avoid the tax. As a result, 40% less sugary drinks will now be included in the two tiered levy. 

As many of us know the SDIL did not occur overnight, nor was it an easy journey. A recent Food Active blog attempts to highlight the efforts of the North West in lobbing, shaping and gaining public support for the levy.
Follow the link below to find out more. 

On 1 July 2017, new rules come in covering the marketing of less healthy food and drink to under 16s. The new rules will apply online and across magazines, billboards, cinema and most other forms of non-broadcast advertising. However, past experience shows us that such rules may be weakly enforced. And companies are adept at finding loopholes and new ways to continue to target their products at children.

In response to this Children’s Food Campaign (CFC) has launched Operation Eagle Eye, a service to keep track of the marketing of food and drink to children, holding companies to account for their irresponsible ads.

Commenting on the launch, Malcolm Clark from the CFC says “if you are anything like me, it drives you nuts when companies try to take advantage of you. And it is particularly galling when children are the focus of these marketing tricks and less than transparent messaging. We all love a treat now and again. But the relentless marketing of sugary food and drink is directly contributing to the obesity and dental health crisis in our country.
 
"We know that from past experience that Committee of Advertising Practice rules governing this type of marketing are often weakly enforced, and companies are adept at finding loopholes and new ways to continue to target their sugary products at children.  Help us launch Operation Eagle Eye: a new service targeting irresponsible ads and brands. We want to be able to swoop down and take action where we feel brands are flouting the letter or the spirit of the new marketing rules coming into force in July."

Robin Ireland, Director of Research at Food Active and Healthy Stadia, has put together a piece regarding his recent travels to New Zealand and Australia to demonstrate how useful exchanging ideas and thoughts on food policy in different countries can be.  

During his time in the Southern Hemisphere, Robin attended a number of academic events and talks discussing the role of food environments, industry and junk food marketing in public health. 

To find out more, follow the link below to read the full story. 

Household food security is simply the access to enough food to meet nutritional guidelines and lead a healthy life. Unfortunately, more and more families in the UK are unable to reach this situation due to the rising cost of living. 

However, a recent study has found that children living in a food insecure household experience a range of detrimental effects to cognitive, physical and mental health as a result. 

Follow the link below to read the latest Food Active blog to discover the scope of the problem in the UK, the causes and effects of child health and development. 

WATER WORKS GRANT - NEW FUNDING BY THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH FUND
 

The Children's Health Fund has recently announced new funding opportunities for organisations aiming to increase free drinking water access for children and young people, with £1,000 to £5,000 grants available. 

The rationale for the funding is based on the concept of increasing the provision of free drinking water to children in order to discourage the consumption of sugary soft drinks, therefore promoting greater health and well being. 

If you or your organisation would like to apply for the grant, please follow the link below to the Children's Health Fund website. The deadline for all applications in Friday 7th April.

SEFTON LAUNCH GIVE UP LOVING POP
 

Sefton Council are the latest local authority to launch their Give Up Loving Pop campaign. The school-based campaign begins with assemblies run across both primary and secondary schools in a bid to encourage young people, teachers and parents to cut out sugary drinks for the month of April.

We are also excited to be working with Everton in the Community to deliver Key Stage 2 PSHE GULP lessons to year 5 and 6 students.
 

The Irish Heart Foundation launched a new petition campaign called 'Stop Targeting Our Kids' to raise awareness of the well-established link between junk food marketing and childhood obesity.
The campaign is calling for the Irish Government to take the following action;

A second year analysis has shown that the Mexico Sugar Tax has successfully produced a decline in consumption of sugar sweetened beverages by a further 9.7%, averaging a 7.6% decline over the two year period.

The Obesity Health Alliance reported that children in the UK are consuming the equivalent of 5 doughnuts or 20 chocolate chip biscuits a day - a staggering 73.2g daily for 11-18 year olds, over double the recommended amount. 

Public Health England have updated their resources on practical guidance and advice for the catering industry to provide more nutritionally balanced and sustainable meals.  

A recent study has announced that consuming 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, as opposed to the recommended 5 in the UK, could prevent up to 7.8m premature deaths every year.
 
Whilst gluten free diets are a necessity to those who are gluten-intolerant or celiac, it has become a popular diet choice for those without these diseases. However, a recent study has found those who eat more gluten are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
 
Nestle have announced plans to remove at least 18,000 tonnes of sugar by 2020 across its product range, including using a new natural method which structures sugar differently in their chocolate and confectionery products.
 
Research suggests that almost half of all deaths from cardiovascular disease could be prevented by a nutritious and healthy diet. 
 
Another study suggests consuming the recommended 5 a day can reduce the risk of dementia in elderly, citing the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of fruits and vegetables to have a preventative effect.
 
A review of over 200 studies has found that being overweight can increase your risk of developing 11 different types of cancer; including breast, colon, pancreas, ovary and many more. 

TWEET OF THE MONTH
 

KNOWLEDGE SHARE
 

Do you know of any schools who have successfully banned sugary drinks? If you do please get in touch by emailing alexandra.holt@hegroup.org.uk.

30/3/2017. Healthy Food Provisions: stranded between corporate power and corporate powerlessness. University of Liverpool. 
19/04/2017. Obesity: Tipping Back the Scales of the Nation. The Studio, Manchester.
27/04/2017. European Healthy Stadia Conference. Arsenal Football Club.