Europeans need more education on healthy eating

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Europeans need more education on healthy eating

 

07/10/2004 - Europeans are still not sufficiently aware of the risks

of unhealthy eating, according to a new consumer survey presented at

an industry conference last week.

 

Consumers from five EU states interviewed by research firm Globescan

earlier this year cited either stress or tobacco (17 per cent for

each) as the biggest health risk.

 

But only 10 per cent said overweight had the greatest negative impact

on health and 7 per cent suggested having an unbalanced diet as the

biggest health risk.

 

The British were the most aware of health risks linked to unbalanced

diets and unhealthy lifestyles – 15 per cent of the British considered

being overweight as the greatest risk (the highest score of all five

countries) against 6 per cent for the French (the lowest).

 

In addition, the majority of consumers consider their dietary habits

as healthy, even among those who claim to be overweight, heard those

attending the CIAA's annual conference held in Brussels last week.

 

But consumers also consider public and school education programmes as

the most effective means to fight against obesity - 43 per cent of

those surveyed viewed education as the most effective way to promote

healthy lifestyles and balanced dietary habits.

 

Respectively 17 and 13 per cent support the reformulation of existing

products and the provision of additional information on the

nutritional content of food, while only 8 per cent of people surveyed

consider that restricting the advertising of low nutritional value

food products is an effective tool. More than 60 per cent of consumers

are opposed to a tax on foods with little nutritional value, revealed

the survey.

 

Indeed Jacques Vincent, vice-chairman of Danone, stressed the

important role played by the food and drink industry both in the

development of new products and in the reformulation of existing products.

 

In his opening speech he said: " Even in gourmet products it is

possible to make nutritional improvements and industry is doing so. "

 

He also called for efforts regarding the nutritional education of

children.

 

More information on the survey can be found on the website for the

conference (`Food futures: Eating well, feeling good').

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