A new piece of research looking at eating habits in the UK has suggested that people in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales could benefit from adopting the English diet.
Date:
Thu, 03 Nov 2011
Source:
British Heart Foundation
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), shows that compared to England, the UK’s other nations eat more calories and fat and less fruit and veg. The findings also suggest the difference contributes to more deaths, particularly from heart disease.
Researchers go on to say around 3,700 lives would be saved each year from heart disease and cancer if the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish ate the same diet as the average Englishman.
This is a useful exercise in comparing influential differences in diet across the UK according to Victoria Taylor, senior dietitian at the BHF, who said: “This research isn’t about bragging rights to the English or tit-for-tat arguments about how healthy our traditional dishes might be.
“This is a useful exercise in comparing influential differences in diet across the UK, namely calorie intake and fruit and veg consumption.
“However, saying the rest of the UK should follow England’s lead to cut heart deaths isn’t a foolproof solution; a quarter of English adults are obese and only 30 per cent eat their five-a-day.
“The findings have thrown up some clear inequalities in the four nations and our governments must do everything they can to create environments that help people make healthy choices.”
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