Industry watch
Food insecurity a major challenge: new data
The Food Foundation data shows a continued rise in food insecurity across the UK. Compared with July 2021 the figure has risen from 7.3% of UK households to 8.8% (4.7 million adults) in the past month.. The cost of living crisis has meant that 62% of households have experienced higher energy bills this winter and prices are set to rise further. Two million children live in households that don't have access to a healthy and affordable diet, putting them at high risk of suffering from diet related diseases, poor child growth and shorter lives
Wiltshire Farm Foods has launched a selection of new texture modified meals which include Level 4 Puréed Toasties and Level 6 Pasta Bolognaise, Macaroni Cheese and Ham in Parsley Sauce. The Hot Bacon, Hot Tuna and Hot Cheese toasties are the ideal snacks for those with lighter appetites, whilst the Soft & Bite-Sized meals are rich in flavour and visually appealing – both crucial elements for those with swallowing difficulties. To view the full range of meals visit www.specialistnutrition.com
Active ulcerative colitis: Dietary management approaches
A systematic review has looked at he current literature on the dietary management of individuals with active UC in both inpatient and outpatient settings, to determine if clinical outcomes differ by diet prescription. Findings report there is no strong evidence to support the use of any specific dietary prescription to improve clinical outcomes.
The Broken Plate Report 2021
The annual Broken Plate report from Food Foundation aims to provide a holistic picture of the nation's food system, encompassing the food environment, drivers of food choice and the impact the current system has on our health and the environment.
**CALL TO ACTION** Optimal nutritional Cancer care
The European Nutrition for Health Alliance and its partners have developed a joint call to action with 7 actionable recommendations designed to ensure the protection of nutritional status in cancer in national health policies.
NeoKare Nutrition achieve ISO 22000:2018
The certification highlights the care and responsibility that NeoKare Nutrition takes in providing 100% human milk-based products for use within the NHS. Their milk providers are UK based and their screening and onboarding processes are UK NICE CG93 compliant.
FSA Food and You 2 Wave 2 report
More than 9 in 10 (93%) respondents were confident that the food they buy is safe to eat and almost 9 in 10 (89%) were confident that the information on food labels is accurate. The most common prompted concerns were the amount of sugar in food (60%), food waste (60%) and animal welfare (57%).
NHD's F2F columnist Ursula Arens highlights the need for folic acid betterment.
Natasha's Law allergen labelling changes
The law on allergen labelling for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) foods will change on 1st October this year, due to 'Natasha's Law'. Food businesses selling PPDS foods will have to include full ingredients on the product label with allergenic ingredients emphasised within that list. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a PPDS Hub featuring new labelling guidance.
BNF survey results
British Nutrition Foundation survey reveals 62% of Britons have altered their diet to get healthier in the past year. An online survey was conducted by YouGov as part of the British Nutrition Foundation’s Healthy Eating Week 2021 looking at the changes people have made to their diet and lifestyle over the last year of the pandemic.
Systematic review of dietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss
A systematic review evaluating the efficacy of dietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss in participants aged ≥18 years.. Risk of bias and results are summarized qualitatively.
Mobile health and privacy: cross-sectional study
A study nvestigating whether and what user data are collected by health-related mobile applications (mHealth apps), to characterise the privacy conduct of all the available mHealth apps on Google Play, and to gauge the associated risks to privacy.
If you or a colleague has ever experienced a claim against you in your professional role as a dietitian or nutritionist, you will know how stressful and worrying it can be. PI insurance protection can cover you against claims of negligence or breach of duty made by a client.
Specialist PI broker, Trafalgar Risk Management (TRM), has announced the extension of its comprehensive and competitive PI insurance protection to cover registered dietitians and nutritionists against such claims.
The cover is available with premium funding from www.trafalgarinsurance.co.uk.
Management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
January 2021
A new review published by the BMJ (Jan 2021) focuses on the latest evidence on screening methods to select patients for treatment and on therapies tested in randomised clinical trials (RCTs). Despite advances in the understanding of pathogenic mechanisms and the identification of liver fibrosis as the strongest factor in predicting disease progression, no specific treatments have been approved by regulatory agencies. Outside controlled trials, treatment is generally limited to lifestyle intervention aimed at weight loss.
For the full review click here...
SACN STATEMENT ON NUTRITION AND OLDER ADULTS
January 2021
This position statement by SACN provides an overview of the currently available evidence on nutrition in older adults and its impact on healthy ageing. It considers evidence relating to adults aged 65 years and over living in the community.
The age structure of the population has undergone considerable change in recent years, with growth in the proportion and number of older adults. SACN agreed to review the more recent evidence base and make recommendations where possible. For the full report click here...
Children's nutrition during lockdown: Food Active's survey results 2020
During the emergency phase of the pandemic, lockdown meant changes for children’s food. Whether it was the types of food eaten, or the time it was consumed, every child’s diet will have been affected in one way or another, with some experiencing greater changes than others.
Food Active’s latest research published Sept 2020, with the Children’s Food Campaign, gathered views and experiences from over 750 parents across the UK to explore how ‘lockdown life’ affected children’s eating habits and preferences.
See the NHD Blog for more or visit www.foodactive.org.uk for the full report.
FSA relaunches Independent Science Advisory Committee websites
27 August 2020
The new SAC committee websites are listed below:
Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding Stuffs (ACAF)
Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP)
Advisory Committee for the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF)
Advisory Committee on Social Science (ACSS)
Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT)
The Science Council (Science Council)
The FSA has also launched a new SAC hub. For further details of the role of science and the committees in the risk analysis process, take a look at the latest Chief Scientific Adviser's (CSA) report.
Simpler diagnostic process for adults with suspected coeliac disease
7 July 2020
Interim guidance from the British Society of Gastroenterology, pending the publication of its new Coeliac Guidelines in 2021, states that some adults with suspected coeliac disease can now be diagnosed based on blood test results alone, cutting out the long wait for an endoscopy with biopsy.
Interim guidance here...