Northern Ireland people urged to cut saturated fat from their diets to help prevent heart disease

Tuesday 10 February 2009

The Food Standards Agency today launches a major public health campaign in Northern Ireland to raise awareness of the health risks of eating too much saturated fat.

The campaign will promote a range of simple, positive and practical steps we can take to help improve our health and reduce the risk of developing diet-related illness.

Long term, a diet high in saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels in the blood, which is a risk factor for heart and circulatory diseases, such as coronary heart disease, heart attacks, angina and stroke – or cardiovascular disease (CVD). Last year (2008) in Northern Ireland around 2,494 people died as a result of CVD. Heart disease is the second biggest killer in Northern Ireland¹.

Andrea Marnoch, Head of Dietary Health FSA Northern Ireland

'People say they do know that saturated fat is bad for them but they don’t necessarily link it to heart disease and what they are eating. There are simple ways we can cut down the amount of saturated fat we all eat and protect our health. We need to eat leaner meat and a bit less cheese, switch to lower fat milks and eat healthier snacks, cutting down on biscuits and traybakes.

'Supermarkets and manufacturers have done some good work so that now when we’re shopping there is an increasing range of lower saturated fat foods available and better labelling, and we’d like to see more of this. It is important that we work together to increase the variety of healthier foods available and continue to address this important public health issue together.'

The FSA’s activity includes a graphic 40-second TV advertisement illustrating that saturated fat can come from a variety of everyday foods and showing what a build up of fatty deposits could do to the heart over time. The setting is a typical fridge in an average home. A jug of saturated fat is poured down the sink, overloading and blocking a kitchen pipe to vividly bring to life the message that too much saturated fat is bad for your heart.

The health message is supported by a series of print advertisements that show how easy it is to make simple yet effective changes to the way we shop, cook and eat. Straightforward tips to reduce saturated fat intake include: cutting the fat off meat; switching to lower fat dairy products; and using vegetable oils instead of butter when cooking – all designed to help shift people’s everyday habits with the aim of improving the nation’s overall diet related health.

An FSA consumer survey carried out to support the campaign revealed that many of us are unaware of simple changes we can make to reduce the amount of saturated fat we eat:

• almost a third (32%) of people asked in Northern Ireland said they make their mash with whole milk and butter compared to the UK average of 18%. The same percentage said they use full milk in their tea, coffee or cereal.
• A quarter of Northern Ireland respondents said they prefer to fry their meat for extra flavour (26%), which increases the saturated fat content, and less than half (43%) of people across the UK regularly grill their meat, which is a healthier way of cooking
• Almost three quarters (74%) of people surveyed in Northern Ireland think that healthier foods are more expensive than unhealthier foods, highlighting the need for practical, cost-effective tips

Across the UK

• a fifth (20%) of people choose to eat fish or poultry instead of red meat, only a quarter of people (24%) cut the white bits off meat and a fifth (20%) choose meat with less white on it – all options for reducing the amount of saturated fat in our food
• not even a third (29%) of people take the skin off chicken/poultry before cooking (or buy it without the skin), which reduces the saturated fat content

These findings suggest that there is an opportunity for all of us to make simple changes, which will allow us to continue to enjoy a range of foods as part of a balanced diet, while reducing our intakes of saturated fat.

Northern Ireland Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey MLA

'As Minister of Health I am only too aware of the impact that the rising level of obesity in Northern Ireland is having on the health of our population, and it is an issue which my Department is currently addressing.

'I therefore welcome the campaign being launched today by the FSA with its particular focus on saturated fat. Raising awareness of this issue and seeking to reduce the intake of saturated fat through the provision and uptake of healthier options can make a significant contribution to reducing obesity and improving the health of our population.'

Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke wholeheartedly supports the Food Standards Agency’s campaign to raise awareness of the need to reduce saturated fat in our diets. This is vital in order to reduce obesity, coronary heart disease, stroke and other serious illness.

Andrew Dougal, NICHS Chief Executive

'The number of deaths from coronary heart disease in people under 75 years has fallen by as much as 71% over the past two decades. This success is partly a result of getting people to switch from frying to grilling food, and using unsaturated fat such as sunflower and olive oil. Much more could be done if an even greater number of Northern Ireland people made simple lifestyle changes such as moving from the Ulster fry to the Ulster grill.'

These findings suggest that there is an opportunity for all of us to make simple changes that will allow us to continue to enjoy a range of foods as part of a balanced diet, while reducing our intakes of saturated fat. How we can all make these simple changes is the focus of the campaign’s tips and the subject of the eleven print advertisements.

To coincide with the launch of the campaign, the Agency has introduced a new recipe section on its consumer advice website, eatwell.gov.uk

All the recipes have been analysed nutritionally so users can see what each portion contains in terms of sat fat, fats, salt and sugar, and the traffic lights displayed accordingly. The recipes can also be searched by type of meal, and whether they are suitable for vegetarians, vegans and people who need to avoid nuts, gluten or dairy. People in a hurry can also look out for those that take less than half an hour to prepare - see link below.

Anyone with a mobile phone can get daily tips on cutting down on saturated fat by sending the text message 'SATFAT START' to the number 62372. You will then get a daily tip by text to your mobile phone for the next 30 days. To unsubscribe at any time, just text 'SATFAT STOP' to the same number.

Consumers can also remind themselves how to cut down on sat fat while browsing our recipes by downloading our eatwell fridge application onto your own computer. It will be available to download soon from the eatwell website.