Red Warning Labels To Appear On Unhealthy Foods To Try And Combat Health Problems
Red warning labels are to be printed on unhealthy foods to try and reduce rates of obesity, dental health issues and obesity-related conditions. The aim is to limit such health problems including: heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
New traffic light labels will appear on foods to inform consumers about the food they are eating. Red will signify that the food is unhealthy, amber will constitute medium and green will signify a healthy food choice. The labels will be colour-coded according to the amount of salt, sugar and fat they contain.
The introduction of a universal system will hopefully encourage many to make healthier food choices, as the light system is much easier and quicker to interpret than reading nutrition labels.
The scheme is being unveiled by the government and has been welcomed by supermarkets and food producers who had previously been opposed to the idea. Some supermarkets have been using a similar system for several months.
The new system is just one of many measures being introduced to try and reduce spending on obesity-related illnesses and encourage people to make healthier lifestyle choices.
Anna Soubry, public health minister, said that everyone has a responsibility to take on the increasingly prevalent issue of obesity and the traffic light system will alert people to foods that are high in salt, fat and sugar.
Figures show that almost 2 out of 3 adults and 1 in 3 children in the UK are overweight and the NHS is spending more than £5 billion on obesity-related illnesses.
Dentists have also welcomed the news, as sugar consumption is a major cause of dental issues in adults and children in the UK. In recent years, sugar consumption has increased and rates of decay are high in children, despite the fact that decay is a preventable disease and dental care is available free of charge on the NHS for children.
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