The Food Foundation has released their flagship annual Broken Plate report, which uses ten metrics to provide a powerful picture of the current UK food system and the lack of progress made to improve food security, obesity levels and sustainability.
This year’s Broken Plate report is the third in the series, tracking UK progress in changing the food environment so that diets can transition towards more healthy and sustainable outcomes.
The report is published ahead of the National Food Strategy led by Henry Dimbleby, which is expected to contain strong and urgent recommendations to government.
Critical levels of obesity, dietary inequality, and an increasingly obesogenic food environment are amongst the many metrics highlighted in the report.
By the time they’re 65 years old, over half of the children born in 2021 will experience diet-related disease which may affect their quality of life.
Whether children are born into richer or poorer households greatly impacts on their risk of obesity as well as limiting life expectancy.
Those in the most deprived decile (the poorest 10%) are ten times more likely to be living with severe obesity at age 11 than those in the least deprived decile.
‘Bold action will be required’
Anna Taylor, executive director at the Food Foundation said:
“With the National Food Strategy just around the corner and the task of rebuilding post pandemic now underway, there has never been a more opportune time for the government and businesses to face the challenge of fixing our food environment head on.
Bold action will be required if we are to safeguard the future health of our children – but is by no means impossible.
“This year’s Broken Plate report highlights that our current food environment is failing to deliver diets that are just, healthy or sustainable with this having very real health implications for millions of citizens.”
