Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of improving access to healthy food on the number of people who cannot work due to long-term illness.

In the United Kingdom, most people’s diet is not in line with the Government’s dietary recommendations as encapsulated in the Eatwell Guide. Most people consume too many calories, too much salt, sugar, and saturated fat, and not enough fibre, fruit, and vegetables. This increases the risk of gaining weight and suffering from type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, and some cancers at an earlier age.

Whilst the Government has not made a specific assessment of the impact of improving access to healthy food for people who cannot work due to long term illness, published modelling data suggests that if population intakes were in line with the Eatwell Guide it would improve life expectancy by approximately eight years for the average 40 year old.

The Eatwell Guide shows the proportions in which different types of foods and drinks should be consumed to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. It is communicated through the NHS.UK website and Government social marketing campaigns such as Better Health, Healthier Families, and Start for Life.