Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSCelebrity chefs influence eating habits more than government
New research has provided food for thought in the war of words between celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and health minister Andrew Lansley over the need to educate the public about healthy eating.
At the recent BMA conference in Brighton, Lansley criticised the “Jamie Oliver approach” to raising public awareness of health and fitness, instead suggesting an “evidence-based” solution to the nation’s health problems.
Discussing current methods of tackling obesity and public health generally, Lansley said: “If we are constantly lecturing people and trying to tell them what to do, we will actually find that we undermine and are counterproductive in the results that we achieve.”
The YouGov SixthSense study provides insight on both sides of the debate. Currently only 10% of UK adults say that they are influenced in what they eat by government healthy eating campaigns; with the figure falling to 8% for the less affluent members of society.
However media and celebrity influence is more powerful, with 21% influenced in their food choices by television documentaries, while 31% were inspired on what to eat by cookery programmes.
The most powerful factor in UK dietary habits seems to be family and friends - with 39% saying the advice of a friend or loved one had the most influence on what they eat.
It also seems that the government’s influence is often less than it might have hoped, with just 13% currently meet the government’s 5-a-day quota for fruit and vegetable consumption.
Research director for YouGov SixthSense, James McCoy said: “It is difficult to strike the right balance. Although it is important to inform the public about the benefits of healthy eating, it is equally important that both government and media refrain from badgering unnecessarily.”
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Readers' comments (2)
Anonymous | 8-Jul-2010 4:23 pm
if you are on minimum wage or less, like nursing students, you either eat healthily, or have no social life - short term - i would rather have a social life, as eating alone after a day's study or placement is a bit depressing... 10p noodles from a supermarket budget brand sort of fill you up for a bit, although there is no real nutrition, at least there is more calories than an apple, which is 2-3 times the price and wont fill you up at all. i was working before studying nursing, and on a very comfortable income - of course i ate well as i had the money - health choices are always based on socioeconomic status at you are wasting your time telling people what they already know. at least jamie oliver is showing how them to be creative with the little they can afford... BIG UP JAMIE OLIVER xxx
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Sandra Joyce Powell | 8-Jul-2010 5:17 pm
How can we expect our student nurses to perform their duties on so little nutrition. It is disgusting.they should be paid a living wage as we did. Then they will be able to fulfil their workload of studying ,shift work, moonlighting to push up wages. University lectures and passing those exams to be a nurse and then when qualified to assist their patients in the need for good nutrition.
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