Uni diet warning

Healthy eating campaigns will not work unless we recognize modern changes in family life, according to University of Sheffield findings.

£1.2million was spent on a research programme carried out by the University of Sheffield and Royal Holloway (University of London), designed to see why healthy eating campaigns do not work as well as they could.

Despite the Government and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver promoting healthy eating, the report showed the majority of people still eat what they want.

It also found that a family’s circumstances, rather than personal choice, determines what is eaten, which sometimes means choosing the unhealthy option.

Kathryn Axon, Union Welfare Officer, said: "Family life is changing and on the recent Jamie Oliver programme he was trying to get people with low incomes to buy fresh ingredients which they couldn’t do.

"People are also busier and students for example cannot really afford to eat healthily.

"Students could buy fruit and vegetables that are in season so they are cheaper and shop at the end of the day for reduced items."

Food culture has changed with family lifestyles, and there is a greater need for convenience food with more single and divorced people than ever, with the ‘family meal’ dying out.

Recent government campaigns included making school dinners healthier, but many children are used to eating junk food at home.

Trying to get people to eat ‘five a day’ is difficult too, with families often not having time to fit it in.

Professor Peter Jackson from the University of Sheffield explained: "If government advice on healthy eating is to have a serious impact, it needs to be framed with a better understanding of the diversity of our everyday family lives."

The research did highlight some healthy eating campaigns that do work.

Healthy Start for pregnant women has proved successful with women eating more fruit and vegetables and taking vitamins.

It was also found that advice for healthy eating has actually appeared in women’s magazines since the 1940s, but this advice has since changed dramatically.

One in five adults are now obese and a third of children overweight, which is expected to rise to two thirds by 2050, and could cost the economy £50billion due to obesity related illnesses.

Instead of ignoring the problems and blaming our routines and circumstances, the Government is now being encouraged to promote healthy eating in an innovative and thoughtful way.

Kristiane Genovese