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complex and nutritional conflict Advice ‘overwhelming’ for consumers trying to do so Make healthy choicesaccording to a new survey.
one polling 5,000 UK adults and 200 nutritionist About two-thirds (66%) found that Healthy eating advice Confusing and hoping the government provides a clear definition of “health” food“.
While most people know when a food is high in salt or sugarTerms like “UPF” (ultra-processed food) confuse consumers – 88% of respondents said they didn’t understand what UPF was.
The survey found that 72% of consumers believe processed foods are unhealthy and half actively avoid them – with 45% still seeking products with added benefits such as protein or fiber – which require some level of processing.
But experts believe social media is to blame for bombarding consumers with conflicting nutritional advice, such as influencers urging people to eat only meat while others believe eating only plants is best.
“This is largely driven by social media, where nutritional information is often taken out of context, oversimplified or deliberately sensationalized,” says registered dietitian Rob Hobson. independent. “In many cases, the loudest voices are not coming from a public health perspective at all, but from people with other motivations,” he added.
The findings from food and drink company Danone Nordic come as the government publishes an updated Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM), which is used to calculate which products fall into the “less healthy” category and the associated restrictions on advertising to children.
The new model introduces a lower threshold for free or added sugars, as well as naturally occurring sugars in syrups, honey, unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, purees and pastes.
This includes more desserts and foods that parents may mistakenly believe are healthier, such as some sugar-sweetened breakfast cereals and fruit-flavored yogurts marketed to children.
A crackdown on junk food advertising comes into force this month, banning ads for “less healthy” food and drink high in fat, salt and sugar online between 5.30am and 9pm and at any time, but this is based on guidance that spans more than 20 years.
However, the survey found that 91% of nutritionists and nutritionists said the public was “overwhelmed” by conflicting nutrition advice. Experts believe the government should do more to make healthy eating simple.
“In addition to clearer public health messaging, stronger action is needed on the marketing of ultra-processed foods, especially when it comes to convincing people that products are healthy when they are not,” Kim Pearson, a nutritionist who specializes in weight loss, told us. The Independent.
She explained that UPFs are foods that are typically packaged and contain more than five ingredients, including additives such as thickeners, stabilizers, flavorings or preservatives. But there is currently no universally agreed upon definition.
Gunter Kuhnle, a food scientist at the University of Reading, added that UPF “is a term that even nutritionists and campaigners can’t seem to agree on” and can make people “feel guilty about certain foods”. Instead, he urges people to get back to basics.
“I think the very old and boring ‘balanced diet’ advice might be a good start. Adding fruits and vegetables and making snacking a real treat rather than a regular occurrence is also a smart idea,” he told Science . independent.
Mr Hobson argued that the UK already had clear, evidence-based dietary guidelines but the advice was not being followed.
For example, by eating an average of just three servings of fruits and vegetables per day instead of five, only 5% of men and 2% of women met the daily goal of 30 grams of fiber.
“The problem isn’t a lack of guidance, it’s that people are distracted by advice that feels more exciting, more extreme or dramatic,” he said.
The Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment.