Revised Dietary Goals for Scotland

The revised Goals replace the Scottish Dietary Targets, which were set in the 1996 Scottish Diet Action Plan and take account of the need to build in population approaches in relation to reducing obesity and cancer risk.

Two new dimensions that are included at a population level are:

• To achieve an average reduction in calorie intake by 120 kcal/person/day with a lowering of energy density to 125 kcal/100g. This should be achieved by reducing intake of high fat and/or sugary products and by replacing with starchy carbohydrates (e.g. bread, pasta, rice and potatoes), fruits and vegetables.
• To ensure that average intake of red and processed meat should not be greater than 70g per person per day (and the number of people with high intakes should not increase)

If Scots achieved these two goals alone, this could have significant impact on cancer risk, notably bowel cancer. The emphasis on increasing wholegrains is also long overdue. Let’s look forward to seeing the supportive environments we are going to need to change Scottish dietary culture.

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0042/00421385.pdf

If you would like to know more about how well Scots are doing in terms of dietary change than see the report produced last year by colleagues at the University of Dundee:

Estimation of Food and Nutrient Intakes from food survey data in Scotland
https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/publications-and-research/publications/estimation-of-food-and-nutrient-intakes-from-food-survey-data-in-scotland

This article was originally published in the SCPN Newsletter Volume 4, Issue 3.
Read the full issue here: