Nutrition
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of The Eatwell Guide in (a) improving health outcomes and (b) supporting a healthier and sustainable food system.
Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson
Independent research shows that a dietary pattern in line with the Eatwell Guide is associated with improved health outcomes, and with an appreciably lower environmental impact than the current United Kingdom diet, including reduced CO2, water, and land usage. Further information on the associated improved health outcomes and the lower environmental impact is available, respectively, at the following two links:
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/8/e037554
The Eatwell Guide principles underpin the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF), which aim to ensure public sector bodies procure and serve food that promotes both environmental sustainability and public health. Government departments and their related agencies are required to apply GBSF, with other public sector settings also encouraged to follow. The GBSF is available at the following link:
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