The continuation of the first 100 days.

Efforts to deal with junk food have my full approval. I just wonder how determinedly the government will resist the very powerful junk food manufacturers and their lobbyists. Will Starmer be as ruthless with them as he has been with dissenters in his party and pensioners? After all, I see that the government has rolled over with more subsidies for Tata steel, even though it still means job losses and the blast furnaces closing. I worry about links with business...

MaizieD

Efforts to deal with junk food have my full approval. I just wonder how determinedly the government will resist the very powerful junk food manufacturers and their lobbyists. Will Starmer be as ruthless with them as he has been with dissenters in his party and pensioners? After all, I see that the government has rolled over with more subsidies for Tata steel, even though it still means job losses and the blast furnaces closing. I worry about links with business...

The problem is that last time the government interfered with food production in the form of the 'Sugar Tax'introduced by George Osborne and David Cameron, it resulted in soft drinks being produced that contained aspartame which, in the opinion of some, is far more injurious to health.

From September 2023 we have had workplace health assessments already.
I still have the card with my results on cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure, BMI, heart age and Q risk.
However the test was only available to staff aged between 40 and 75. Maybe they need to start earlier.
Of course you do realise that any data collected on you, has the potential to be used against you when applying for insurance, benefits, health care etc.
We already have criticisms on self inflicted injuries like smoking diseases, obesity, diet, lifestyle choices and gender reassignment surgery.
The next step could be having to pay a premium for health care resulting from self inflicted health problems.
It should make getting treatment that results from getting older less expensive. Everyone does that.

it resulted in soft drinks being produced that contained aspartame which, in the opinion of some, is far more injurious to health.

The question is, is it just 'opinion' or is it based on rigorous empirical evidence?

There is a school of thought which has been around since at least the 1970s that refined sugar is pure poison...

I am a little wary of government intervention in health in this way, mainly because as with the soft drink issue, intervention often seems to produce further problems that failed to be predicted. Vaping being introduced to reduce smoking is another example. However the smoking ban under the Blair government was probably one of the most successful preventative interventions, so there is that.

MaizieD

Efforts to deal with junk food have my full approval. I just wonder how determinedly the government will resist the very powerful junk food manufacturers and their lobbyists. Will Starmer be as ruthless with them as he has been with dissenters in his party and pensioners? After all, I see that the government has rolled over with more subsidies for Tata steel, even though it still means job losses and the blast furnaces closing. I worry about links with business...

So you are in favour of the UK depending 100% on imported steel.
TATA have been loosing using millions ever year, they should have been given help many years ago to update the infrastructure. Thats the problem with the UK lack of investment, it’s cheaper short term to import, never mind global warming, emissions in China don’t count.

Do you really believe stopping TV advertising will change anything, most live on “fast food” it’s mostly high calorie high salt junk. Even in expensive restaurants a Gourmet Burger is the choice of a great many, just 6 tier Big Mac and probably even more unhealthy.

MaizieD

^it resulted in soft drinks being produced that contained aspartame which, in the opinion of some, is far more injurious to health.^

The question is, is it just 'opinion' or is it based on rigorous empirical evidence?

There is a school of thought which has been around since at least the 1970s that refined sugar is pure poison...

Opinions may vary!

Anecdotal but I know three people who liked sugar (5 teaspoons in tea!) and ate a lot of fat. Two lived to their 90s and one to over 100.
They weren't related.

Galaxy

I am a little wary of government intervention in health in this way, mainly because as with the soft drink issue, intervention often seems to produce further problems that failed to be predicted. Vaping being introduced to reduce smoking is another example. However the smoking ban under the Blair government was probably one of the most successful preventative interventions, so there is that.

I'm happy about the smoking ban, it was an excellent decision imo.
However, banning smoking outside may be a step too far and lead to even more vaping which has been disastrous, especially for our youngsters. It's a ticking time bomb.

Childhood obesity, adult health is such a problem that it has to be worth trying the ban on adverts.

I don't think smoking and vaping should be banned in pub gardens, but do think they should be banned outside schools, hospitals etc (it's not clear atm what will be included in ban, its up for discussion). Vaping is an enormous problem in teenagers.

I don't feel I know enough about the Urkaine War to comment but a lot may depend on whether Trump gets voted in as he believes he can fix the problem (by forcing Urkaine to "compromise" giving up some territory).

Do you really believe stopping TV advertising will change anything, most live on “fast food” it’s mostly high calorie high salt junk. Even in expensive restaurants a Gourmet Burger is the choice of a great many, just 6 tier Big Mac and probably even more unhealthy.

It’s worth a try although I’m trying to think what was the last food advert I saw on TV. Perhaps I don’t watch enough TV to notice.

If you’re talking about adverts on the internet, that would have a far greater impact.
As long as it doesn’t become a flag waving exercise for vegan food. There’s getting to be as much UPF /junk food available there too.
Re the burgers, I think people would still eat them, but they’d come with a side helping of guilt.

It is not the pattie part of the burger that is the problem as a gourmet/good quality one is pure minced beef. No problem with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles either.

It is more the large side of fries covered in salt, additives in burger sauce, enormous dollops of mayonnaise and ketchup on the side.

In this day and age I do not believe that there is anyone who doesn’t know about healthy foods, whether or not they choose a balanced diet or not is an entirely different question.

Do we want to live in a country where the Government controls what food we can and cannot purchase?

Mollygo

From September 2023 we have had workplace health assessments already.
I still have the card with my results on cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure, BMI, heart age and Q risk.
However the test was only available to staff aged between 40 and 75. Maybe they need to start earlier.
Of course you do realise that any data collected on you, has the potential to be used against you when applying for insurance, benefits, health care etc.
We already have criticisms on self inflicted injuries like smoking diseases, obesity, diet, lifestyle choices and gender reassignment surgery.
The next step could be having to pay a premium for health care resulting from self inflicted health problems.
It should make getting treatment that results from getting older less expensive. Everyone does that.

I’d like to see the point reached where routine health checks are available to everybody, because most people want to know as early as possible if they have a preventable condition or chronic disease - that’s not the same as compulsory checks though. The point of doing it in the workplace is to encourage those who won’t take up the offer if it involves any effort on their part, or who can’t get time off work to be checked, but I doubt it would be made compulsory except in areas where health checks are already done through OH departments.

Do we want to live in a country where the Government controls what food we can and cannot purchase?

Apart from the high caffeine drinks there doesn't seem to be any talk of banning the sale of any foods. Just restricting the advertising. The objective being to reduce the sales.

And if people don't believe that banning advertising, or restricting it to post watershed hours will make any difference then companies have been wasting huge sums of money on advertising for a great many years.

And how many people buy gourmet burgers?

Casdon I agree about making it easier to take up the offer. That’s why I did it, as did the site supervisor, some of the cleaners head and the bursar, but the number of staff who could access it, but didn’t, outnumbered those who did. Some younger staff were annoyed that it wasn’t available to them.
How long before it’s made compulsory I wonder?

It's not suggested its compulsory and current suggestions do not include feeding back information to management (or insurance companies)

Wyllow3

It's not suggested its compulsory and current suggestions do not include feeding back information to management (or insurance companies)

No, I know about the current suggestions.
But that’s the next step.
There was a hint of feeding back to management and their use of such info in the McDonald and Dodds episode last night. How often has fiction been a forerunner to fact.
Incidentally, it has never before been compulsory to have a credit card, or have voter ID, but think of the huge outcry on GN and social media about that.

Whitewavemark2

The “fatal” motion will not succeed unless the government wishes it to do so.

So it doesn’t necessarily mean that this is the end of the issue, merely a spanner thrown into the works.

They won’t rescind the decision, as despite the noise around it, it’s the right thing to do. They do need to specifically say how they are going to make sure the most vulnerable access support.

MaizieD

^Do we want to live in a country where the Government controls what food we can and cannot purchase?^

Apart from the high caffeine drinks there doesn't seem to be any talk of banning the sale of any foods. Just restricting the advertising. The objective being to reduce the sales.

And if people don't believe that banning advertising, or restricting it to post watershed hours will make any difference then companies have been wasting huge sums of money on advertising for a great many years.

And how many people buy gourmet burgers?

MaizieD I just had a look at what is in a McDonalds beef pattie it’s 100% ground beef with a light seasoning of salt & pepper, as are the majority of chain patties.

Like I posted upthread it’s not the burger that’s the problem it’s the accompaniments.

There is already a no food advertising on London Underground, I agree with the 9pm watershed on fast food ads, not sure how they can implement no food ads on SMS when they are unable to stop scammers and scam advertising?

“And how many people buy gourmet burgers?”

You would be surprised, a burger stack on a plate is the staple of many restaurants, they are cheap and you don’t need a trained chef to cook and put the meal together.

One chain is selling 28 day aged Gourmet Burger around £12, calories 1200+ depending on extras

GrannyGravy13
not sure how they can implement no food ads on SMS when they are unable to stop scammers and scam advertising?

I’m not sure either, especially when you think of how many places advertising comes from, although there are countries which can control what you see.

If they can achieve that, maybe they could control all the gambling adverts too.

I'm not sure that MPs are the best ones to advise us on healthy eating with the gourmet meals and alcohol so freely available in their place of work, all subsidised by us, he taxpayer.

Four courses, including pre-prandials, all costed at 30p per meal, of course

www.parliament.uk/site-information/freedom-of-information/information-we-already-publish/house-of-commons-publication-scheme/catering-services/commons-catering-menus-and-tariffs-archive/menus-and-tariffs-2023/

I am sure the hospitality trade will be over the moon with Labours suggested ban on smoking in pub gardens perhaps just to be on the safe side they should also limit adults alcohol intake to just two drinks per person in their local or restaurant.

rosie1959

I am sure the hospitality trade will be over the moon with Labours suggested ban on smoking in pub gardens perhaps just to be on the safe side they should also limit adults alcohol intake to just two drinks per person in their local or restaurant.

One alcoholic if requested, one not (just the one as it might contain sugar!)

If they can achieve that, maybe they could control all the gambling adverts too.

I would very much like to see a ban on ads for online gambling. I don't gamble, other than a very occasional lottery ticket, but I get regular emails offering me 'free spins' and offers for online bingo. There are also ads on TV for bingo, suggesting that it is a social community, and I can see how it may be attractive to people living alone, particularly if they could use some extra money.

Having known two women whose husbands secretly gambled away everything, I think the more that can be done to stop people being lured into addiction the better.

Doodledog I totally agree with regards any gambling advertising.