Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has issued guidance on the risks of high protein food intake.
In 1991 the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy (COMA), the predecessor to Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), recommended Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNI) for protein for children and adults. These were set to meet the needs of 97.5% of the population. COMA also advised that it was prudent for adults to avoid protein intakes of more than twice the RNI. Since then the Government has not issued any guidance on the risks of high protein food intake.
The SACN advises United Kingdom Government on nutrition matters. The SACN has not been asked for advice on, nor undertaken a risk assessment of high protein intakes and has no plans to do so.