Lords Committee gets an international perspective on tackling unhealthy diets and obesity
Friday 22 March 2024
On Monday 25 March, the House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee will hold two evidence sessions looking at how unhealthy diets and obesity are tackled in different countries including Brazil, Chile, France and the USA, and how this compares to the UK. The sessions will consider international scientific evidence on ultra-processed foods as well as international good practice.
Among the witnesses are Professor Carlos Monteiro, who was responsible for developing the NOVA classification of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and Dr Kevin Hall, who conducted a randomized control trial into UPFs. Professor Susan Jebb will offer a comparative analysis of the approach in the UK.
The first session will start at 2.15pm and both sessions will be available to watch live or on demand at Parliament TV or attend in person in Committee Room 4, Palace of Westminster.
Giving evidence will be:
2.15pm
- Prof Carlos Monteiro, Professor of Nutrition and Public Health, University of Sao Paulo;
- Prof Barry Popkin, Professor of Nutrition, University of North Carolina; and
- Prof Camila Corvalán, Professor, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile.
3.30pm
- Dr Kevin Hall, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, United States of America (USA) Federal Government;
- Dr Mathilde Touvier, Research Director, Inserm; and
- Professor Susan Jebb, Professor of Diet and Population Health, University of Oxford.
Questions will include:
- What are the main challenges in enabling people to eat healthily and tackling obesity, in your country and around the world?
- What are ultra-processed foods (UPFs)? How useful is this term for the purposes of policy and regulation, and what is the overlap with foods high in fat, salt and sugar?
- What evidence is there that consuming ultra-processed foods is harmful (compared to consuming foods high in fat, salt and sugar)? How should policymakers respond to that evidence?
- What is the evidence on the mechanisms by which ultra-processed foods may cause harm (such as nutrient profile, harmful additives, palatability or convenience)? How should policymakers respond to that evidence?
- On what terms should government and the scientific community engage with the food industry in enabling people to eat healthy diets and tackling obesity?
- What strategies for enabling people to eat healthy diets and tackling obesity have been adopted in your country, and what is the evidence on their effectiveness? What strategies are most likely to be effective in the future?
