Today the UK House of Lords’ Food, Diet and Obesity Committee published Recipe for health (PDF), a report which boldly outlines a range of far-reaching recommendations to transform our food system.
We strongly urge the UK government to take forward these recommendations given the state of the nation’s diet and the impact on our health. The UK’s national diet is high in saturated fat and sugars, which leads to obesity, a risk factor for 13 types of cancer. The report correctly highlights the gravity of this challenge in both its analysis and recommendations.
Steps to curb industry involvement
Many of the Committee’s recommendations are reflected in our own evidence. For example, we welcome the Committee’s recommendations around mandatory measures and targets to improve the nutritional quality of our food. This includes calls to restrict the exposure to junk food advertising and address misleading marketing, especially of infant and children’s foods. Steps to curb industry involvement and influence in policymaking are particularly welcome to avoid regulations being watered down.
The call on government to support additional research on ultra-processed foods (UPF) and why they are impacting our health is also important, and will bolster the evidence-base that organisations like World Cancer Research Fund are already investing in.
For too long, our health has been impacted by an abundance of poor-quality foods, leaving many people at risk of developing preventable cancers. It is time for the government to make good on its commitment to prevention and take forward these recommendations in this cross-party report.
> The House of Lords committee report: Recipe for health: a plan to fix our broken food system
> Our evidence submission: WORLD CANCER RESEARCH FUND INTERNATIONAL – WRITTEN EVIDENCE (FDO0030) (PDF)
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Notes
The review was done by a team led by Dr Dora Romaguera from the Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa) and Biomedical Research Networking Centre – Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN).
The CUP Global research team at Imperial College London, led by Dr Doris Chan and Dr Kostas Tsilidis, supported this work.
The Cure has designed 2 limited-edition guitars to raise funds for World Cancer Research Fund. The 2 guitars have been built by Schecter Guitars and the artwork is by Bunny Lake Designs.
Frontman Robert Smith will be donating $250 (£191) from each sale, with Schecter Guitars matching his contribution. This will bring donations to $500 (£383) per guitar. There are only 75 available in total and they are available to order here.
Supporting our work is important to the band members, especially after Roger O’Donnell, The Cure’s guitarist, was diagnosed with blood cancer. He has since been urging others to look out for signs and get tested.
Sarah-Jane Hill, Fundraising Partnerships Manager at World Cancer Research Fund, said: “We’re delighted and incredibly grateful that Robert Smith and The Cure have chosen World Cancer Research Fund to benefit from the sale of these iconic guitars. The funds raised from these stunning instruments will support our prevention and survival work, and help people to live longer, healthier lives – free from the devastating effects of cancer.”
The funds raised from these stunning instruments will support our prevention and survival work
To celebrate our relationship with The Cure, we designed a spicy sandwich for them during Cancer Prevention Action Week last year – they taste just like heaven! To erase those “blue Mondays ” and “grey Tuesdays”, our pitta surprise is perfect for fans of the legendary English alternative rock band – and best of all it helps reduce your cancer risk, too.
