Tim Spector says 'it's crucial' as he issues warning over this type of food
Professor Tim Spector have issued a stark warning on social media as he declared "it's making us sick". The doctor and nutritional expert said he was invited to to give evidence to the UK’s House of Lords Committee on Food, Diet and Obesity last year.
The professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London explained on Instagram that his comments helped form the committee's "Recipe for Health: A Plan to Fix Our Broken Food System" report, which was recently published.
He told his 680,000 followers that the findings "were stark but not surprising", adding that "ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are fuelling an epidemic of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other diet-related conditions, with two-thirds of UK adults overweight and one-third classified as obese".
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He said the report makes it clear that "voluntary measures have failed", before adding: "It’s time for bold, systemic action to address the dominance of UPFs and the food industry’s focus on profits over public health."
Sharing his recommendations, the nutritional expert wants to see the Government to introduce "warning labels on UPFs, expanding the sugar tax to a wider range of products, reducing UPF consumption in schools and hospitals to below 10%, and mandating industry-wide reformulation to make healthier food the norm."
He added: "The Lords took these recommendations seriously, but Big Food’s resistance is inevitable. The UK government is expected to respond before the end of January, and it’s crucial we hold them accountable."
Many of Prof Spector's followers have responded in the post's comments section, as one wrote: "Other industries have to jump through hoops to meet regulatory standards but not food? Makes no sense."
A second said: "Just stay OUT of supermarkets. Go to butchers, bakers and green grocers and get your milk delivered. Simple!" A third added: "They are always cheaper than healthy food. Healthy food has become a luxury".