SECOND OPINION:The problem is processed foods, not greedy people, writes JACKY JONES
FAT AND SUGAR taxes are the latest ideas for improving the health of the nation. These taxes have different consequences. Sugary drinks have no nutritional value whatsoever, so a large tax can be imposed without fearing a negative impact on nutrition.
Fat, on the other hand, is an essential part of a healthy diet. Fat provides the building blocks of cell membranes, helps absorb vitamins and is important for growth and tissue repair. Fat is good.
The recommended amount of fat per day is 70g, of which no more than 20g should be saturated fat. Most of us eat much more than this because of the way our food is processed and not because we are greedy people. Given the way food is marketed, the real wonder is that all Irish people are not overweight or obese. The fact that half the population manage to maintain a healthy weight is an example of human endurance against all the odds.
Denmark has recently introduced a fat tax on foods that contain more than 2.3 per cent of saturated fat and the health effects are being closely monitored by the rest of Europe. The problem with a blanket fat tax like this is that there may be unintended consequences.
Osteoporosis is on the increase due to less exercise and less calcium in the diet, combined with a shortage of vitamin D because of increased use of sunblock creams. Adults and children need about 800mg of calcium per day and pregnant women and teenagers need about 1,200mg. It is hard to get enough calcium without consuming dairy products which are also high in fat. A child or adult needs a pint of milk every day, or more than a pound of cooked greens such as broccoli or spinach, to get sufficient calcium for their needs. It is easier to get children to drink milk than eat a pound of greens.
Food processing is the real problem that must be addressed by taxation, but not all processed foods need to be taxed, as they are not all bad. Prof Carlos Monteiro of the School of Public Health in Sao Paolo categorises food into three groups.
Group one contains fresh whole foods and foods that have been subjected to some minimal processes that aim to make the food more accessible, available or, sometimes, safer. These minimal processes include cleaning, pasteurisation, drying, canning and bottling.
Group two consists of substances such as oil, pasta and flour made from olives and cereals. The foods in groups one and two are used to prepare meals, made up of fresh and minimally processed food, such as wholemeal bread and Irish stew.
Group three is ultra-processed food made from transformed group-two substances. Group three contains either no or very small amounts of fresh whole foods, plus extra salt, sugar, preservatives, flavourings and colourings to make them more palatable and habit forming.
Group three foods, if they can be called foods, are designed to be “ready to eat” or “ready to heat” and include sausage rolls, chicken nuggets, microwaveable meals, crisps and biscuits. By the time food arrives in group three, it is much higher in fat and sugar than the fresh product. Parents who think their children are eating real chicken when chicken nuggets are on the menu are deluding themselves.
Group three foods are heavily marketed, and words such as “light”, “reduced fat” and “low in sugar” are used to make us believe these foods are good for us. They are never, ever as low in fat and sugar as the original product.
For example, a “chicken” in batter contains three times (27g per 100g) the fat of fresh chicken (9g) and nearly six times the amount of saturated fat. The transformed chicken would be taxed under Danish rules but not the fresh chicken, which contains only 2g of saturated fat per 100g. Items such as ready-to-eat potato salad and ready-to-heat lasagne, which we think are healthy foods, contain more than 2.3g of saturated fat per 100g and would also be taxed.
Research shows that group three food substances have almost replaced real food in many countries and are largely responsible for obesity and chronic diseases.
The problem is food processing and not greedy people. What Ireland needs is a tax on all ultra-processed foods and not a blanket fat tax. Such a fiscal measure will encourage us to eat real food with a minimal impact on jobs and the economy.
Dr Jacky Jones is a former regional manager of health promotion with the HSE