Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-24.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the current emphasis by NHS Choices on starchy foods such as potatoes, cereals, pasta, rice and bread products for people with diabetes, or who are pre-diabetic, is based on sufficiently rigorous evidence.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Government takes a whole population approach to healthy eating, and therefore does not provide specific dietary advice to individuals with medical needs. It is recommended for anyone with a medical condition in search of dietary advice to consult their local general practitioner or a dietician.
In July 2015, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published its report on Carbohydrates and Health, a review of the latest evidence on dietary carbohydrates and health. This included a review of the evidence on incidence of type 2 diabetes as well as a number of pre-diabetic markers and carbohydrate consumption. SACN continue to recommend that total carbohydrate, which includes starchy foods, should provide approximately 50% total dietary energy. They also advised reducing sugar consumption, increasing fibre consumption and minimising consumption of sugars-sweetened drinks. A copy of the report is attached.
Following publication, advice on what constitutes a healthy balanced diet for the general population, including those with diabetes, was updated on the NHS Choices website reflecting SACN’s recommendations.
