Courses

Prospective Students

International

Research

Alumni

Business Links

HTTP://WWW.LONDONMET.AC.UK/LIBRARY/K96924_50.GIF

You are here: Home / Academic Departments / School of Human Sciences / Research / Nutrition Policy Unit

Nutrition Policy Unit

London Metropolitan University is one of the UK's leading centres for research and teaching on food, nutrition and dietetics. The Nutrition Policy Unit was created to help mobilise this expertise into the formulation of research-based policy. It disseminates London Metropolitan's research findings to people who can make practical use of them. It also teaches policy analysis and design to the next generation of nutritionists. The Director of the Unit is Prof J T Winkler

CURRENT EVENTS

The Takeaway Snowball

Numerous initiatives are underway in local authorities and national organisations to act on the problems created by hot food takeaways. Several sections of London Metropolitan are involved in research on the subject. The NPU specialises in policy implementation and so monitors these developments.

To inform and assist those interested in the issue, the NPU has prepared a status report on what is happening so far. Takeaway Snowball.pdf The report will be updated as policies increase. Revised versions will be posted here as a reference point for those active in the field.

Sue Bagwell and Simon Doff, of the Cities Institute and the Faculty of Life Sciences at London Metropolitan, have recently published a report on fast food establishments in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, on which action is now being taken. TH fast food.pdf

The NPU research on The School Fringe identified takeaways around schools as a major obstacle to the reform of school feeding.

London, New York & Obesity

London Metropoltan and City University of New York (CUNY), working with the Mayor's offices in both cities, have just completed an 18-month project to identify effective policies and prorammes, implementable at municipal level, to combat childhood obesity.

The London end of the collaboration was led by Prof Eileen O'Keefe of the Deaprtment of Applied Social Sciences and involved more than a dozen London Met staff from a variety of departments and institutes.

The final report, ObesCities, was launched in London on 25 January at City Hall. A similar launch will take place in New York on 11 February. The report concludes with eleven specific recommendations for actions of proven effectiveness that can be taken by city and borough governments. ObesCities.pdf

"Fat Families"

Prof David McCarthy features in the six-part televsion series on obesity, "Fat Families" currently being broadcast on Sky 1 on Wednesdays at 8pm, beginning on 6 January. Part of the programmes were filmed in his Nutrition Physiology Laboratory and in London Metropolitan's Sports Science Centre. The programmes are available subsequently on Sky Catch Up.

Campaign on EU Policies for Omega-3 Fats

London Metropolitan is co-ordinating an international effort by leading scientists specialising in omega-3 fatty acids to improve important EU proposals in this area.

RECENT MEDIA COVERAGE

THE FOOD PROGRAMME, BBC Radio 4, 25 October, reported on omega-3s, the latest installment in continuing coverage of the subject. It included a dual interview with two members of the campaign group, Dr Alex Richardson of Oxford University, and Prof Winkler. Another programme on alternative sources of omega-3s is planned.

DISPATCHES, Channel 4, 26 October, investigated nutritional issues with breakfast foods, including omega-3 fortified margarines. Included an interview with Prof Michael Crawford presenting the campaign's critique. The programme may be viewed for a month, by clicking here. The interview begins at the 43rd minute.

THE ECONOMIST publishes an extensive review of both the science and current policy initiatives on omega-3s, in both Europe and the US. For the text of the article, click here. It also includes advice to consumers, accessible here.

NEW SCIENTIST contains a report on nutritionally-modified crops relevant to omega-3s: Monsanto's soybean with increased stearidonic acid, and BASF's rapeseed with EPA and DHA. genes The article may be viewed by clicking here. The magazine also includes a leader in support of nutritionally-modified crops more generally, accessible here.

TIME magazine has published a report on the campaign, including a comparison of the regulatory issues surrounding omega-3s in the US and the EU. View the article here.

LATEST POLICY INITIATIVE

The group called for the withdrawl and revsion of the entire section on omega-3 fatty acids from EFSA's "Draft Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for Fats", described more fully just below. A critique of EFSA's recommendations was submitted in a formal response to the public consultation on the document. EFSA response.pdf For an independent report on our response, click here

MID-AUTUMN UPDATE

Initially, work focussed on a proposed European Commission (EC) Regulation governing the claims food manufacturers may make about products fortified with these essential fats. The group submitted a scientific critique of the proposal and constructive alternative wordings. Governments from several EU Member States shared our concerns. Click here for these early documents

The EC disregarded objections, re-issued the original proposal essentially unaltered, preparing for formal approval on 1 October. Therefore, we launched a campaign to draw the issue to public attention. The principal documents of the campaign, and responses to it, are posted below.

Nonetheless, the Commission approved the text. It now goes to the European Parliament (EP) for a three month scrutiny, which includes the power to reject the proposal. So, we are now actively carrying the campaign to Parliament. Documents from this second phase will be posted here.

In a separate, related development, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued a major draft report proposing Dietrary References Values (DRVs) for all fats, including omega-3s. Once approved, they will have significant implications for public health. First, DRVs are effectively recommendations on what to eat. They would fix advice to consumers for years ahead. Second, they would form the basis for all future EC policies that relate in any way to fats.

Despite the importance of the document, it was issued during the European holiday season, with an unusually short period for public consultation, closing on 15 October. A one page summary of the initiative, with hyperlinks to all the relevant papers, is available by clicking here. Our submission to the consultation is posted above, under "Latest Policy Initiative".

Media Release: announcing campaign, starting 30 September 2009.
Stop Euro-Mad Rush to regulation on omega-3 fats

Urgent Petition: sent to European Commission and National Representatives of Member States.
Urgent Petition.pdf

Scientific Flaws: concise, non-technical summary of scientific problems with regulation.
Scientific Flaws.pdf

Letter to the Editor, The Times: published in The Times, 30 September 2009, with 20 signatories from seven countries.
Times Letter.pdf

Extract from the minutes of the 1 October meeting of Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, including the formal note of dissent from the UK representative.
Response.pdf

Media Release European Commission ignores scientific evidence,
votes to legalise deception of consumers
SCFCAH decision 1 Oct.pdf

Earlier Media Coverage of the Campaign

"To-day Programme", BBC Radio 4, 1 October interview with Jack Winkler. The broadcast is no longer available on iPlayer, but a short summary is available on the link to the Today Programme.

Daily Telegraph 'EU rules on health foods could fool consumers', coverage of campaign, 30 September.

Marketing Magazine 'Proposed food-labelling rules could confuse consumers', 30 September.

Nutraingredients 'Scientists unite to stop Omega-3 'Euro-mad rush', 30 September

Nutraingregedients on our response to the EU decision.

OTHER ISSUES: RECENT MEDIA COMMENT

"Who Made me Fat?", BBC3, 21 October 2009, on the role of the food industry in the current obesity epidemic, included an interview with Jack Winkler on confusing dietary recommendations for sugar and the use of "hidden sugar" by manufacturers.

'Chicken now fattier than red meat', The Sun, 8 October 2009, picked up the nutritional findings of research by a team from The Institue of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, already published in advance electronic form by Public Health Nutrition.

SCHOOL FRINGE: ITV News, item on Fringe feeding on first day of new school year in Carlisle, , on 1.30pm and 6.30pm broadcasts, 3 September 2009.

Morning Reports, BBC Radio 5, interview with Prof Winkler on scale of pupils' food purchases from Fringe shops, compated with those in school canteen, 24 September 2009.

The Food Programme, BBC Radio 4, feature on Fringe feeding outside London girls' secondary school, on 31 May 2009.

Yorkshire Post 'Clampdown call over junk food sales to pupils' reported on Jack Winkler's contribution to The Westminster Cnference on how fringe shops were winning the battle over healthy school dinners, on 18 September 2009

Social Research Association magazine, for social scientists in government service, commissioned article for September 2009 issue on The School Fringe, as an example of policy-oriented research.

The National School Governors Magazine, Matters Arising, September 2009, included The School Fringe research in a story on the introduction of nutritional standards for meals in secondary schools.

READY MEALS: Farming Today, BBC Radio 4, nutritional analysis and tasting session for ready meals in different price categories, 24 September 2009.

SALT: The Observer, 4 October 2009, citation in article about salt in own label prducts, 'Shock findings on salt levels in big name foods'.

SUGAR: The Independent "Doctors press for 'cola tax' in bid to fight child obesity -Experts raise spectre of economic sanctions on unhealthy products. Jack Winkler quoted on the need the need to reform commodity markets. 17 September 2009.

Food Ethics magazine, commissioned article for Summer 2009 issue on future of sugar. Downloadable.

ethics:sugar.pdf

BBC3 has prepared a documentary on sugar and obesity, including an interview with Prof Winkler. The broadcast date will be announced shortly and posted here.

CATERING LABELLING: August 2009 issue of BBC magazine Olive carried an article on labelling in fast food outlets, including an interview with Prof Winkler.

RESEARCH & ACTION AREAS

* The School Fringe

* Nutrition and Sustainability

* Omega-3s and Mental Health

* Obesity

* Global Food Security

Recent Activities

FOOD SECURITY: The Unit's response to the UK's Parliamentary Inquiry into the Global Health Crisis 'The Politics of Global Food Security' is available below

The Politics of Global Food Security

CUNY-LONDON MET COLLABORATION: City University of New York (CUNY) and London Metropolitan are working on a project to stimulate municipal responses to child obesity, in co-operation with the Mayors' offices in both cities. In October, 2008 a delegation from New York visited London Met.

The second meeting took place on 6-7 April 2009. Led by Professor Eileen O'Keefe, nine members of London Met staff contributed at CUNY: Julia Atkins, Anna Baker, Dee Bhakta, Graeme Evans, David McCarthy, Jo Skinner, Stephen Thake and Jack Winkler.

They were accompanied by Alex Bax, Senior Policy Adviser to London Mayor Boris Johnson, Bobbie Jacobson of the London Health Observatory, and Tim Lobstein of the International Obesity Task Force.

CHILDHOOD OBESITY: Prof David McCarthy and Dimple Radia made two oral presentations at the Nutrition Society annual conference 29 June - 2 July, at the University of Surrey. One will describe variations in prevalence of obesity and overweight produced by different cut-offs for Body Mass Index. The other will describe variations in prevalence produced by using different measures of body weight and body fatness.

NUTRITION POLITICS AND POLICY module on M.Sc. in Human Nutrition finished in May 2009. Programme and Guest Lecturers. Details of the 2010 module will be available in the autumn.

RECENT EVENTS

Professor Michael Crawford led the London Metropolitan contribution at the 'Fatty Acid and Neurodevelomental Disorders Conference (FAND 2009)' at Magdalen College Oxford on 24th and 25th September 09.

Professor Winkler drew attention to two policy crises immediately ahead: the EC Regulation on nutrition claims for fats and the EFSA report on Dietary Reference Values for omega-3s.