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21 July 2006
Nutritionists Slam Which? Report on Breakfast Cereals as "incredibly misleading"
Leading Nutritionists have slammed the Which? 'Cereal Re-Offenders' report as "misleading and could potentially be detrimental to the health of the nation."
Professor Tom Sanders, Head of Research and Nutrition at Kings College London and Scientific Governor at the British Nutrition Foundation commented: "The Which? report misrepresents the contribution made by breakfast cereals to the diet. The report alleges that most breakfast cereals are high in sugar and many are high in salt but fails to acknowledge research by the Food Standards Agency, which shows that breakfast cereals only make a small contribution to the intake of salt and sugar (less than 10%) but make a very important contribution (25-30%) to the intakes of several vitamins and iron. Breakfast cereals are also a vital source of dietary fibre and importantly, are not consumed alone, but with milk. Children who skip breakfast and go to school on an empty stomach perform less well - mentally and physically - and are more likely to snack regularly on so-called junk food and be overweight."
"It is regrettable that a respected consumer organisation has not given parents a balanced view of breakfast cereals but seems to be more intent on garnering headlines, implying that many breakfast cereals are unhealthy and damaging children's health. Much of the problem, I believe, has resulted from a failure of the Food Standards Agency to listen to experts in nutrition who have been critical about its simplistic traffic labelling system, which has unfairly demonised perfectly healthy foods such as breakfast cereals that make an important contribution to the diet of children."
Luci Daniels, former Chair of the British Dietetics Association (BDA) and an independent Dietitian also commented: "The FSA, in their Eat Well leaflet, clearly advises people not to skip breakfast, going on to suggest that they eat high fibre/wholegrain cereals, preferably with fruit or fruit juice. I think consumers are confused and feel guilty enough about what they eat versus what they are told to eat, so it is not helpful having contradictory headlines that offer no true guidance on what they should be eating."
"We need to put things in context when reporting on the nutritional value of foods, for example, if you pick cereals with fruit and nuts you will obviously get more natural sugar and fats."
"We know that breakfast is very important and helps stop snacking later in the day, so we should be providing consumers with factual information to help them make better-informed choices. A simple message from dieticians and nutritionists would be to:
1. Always eat breakfast for a healthy start
2. Choose high fibre/wholegrain cereals where possible and eat with milk/yogurt
3. Try to eat options with fresh or dried fruit or fruit juice
"What people eat is down to preferences and there are a wide range of cereals with wholegrain, with/without sugar, high fibre and low fat."
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KEY MISLEADING AREAS OF THE REPORT:
1. Measurements in the report are based on 100g portions of cereals: It is crucial to take portion size into consideration when reporting on the nutritional content of foods otherwise we are not commenting on what is actually eaten. Measuring nutritional content of cereals per 100g is misleading because the mean consumption is actually 33g per day in men and 27g per day for women1. Portions sizes vary with light cereals such as cornflakes, being consumed in smaller amounts, compared with the heavier cereals such as muesli. Much is made about the so-called high levels of sugar in breakfast cereals but the highest levels were in the range of 16-17g which is about the same amount as in a banana or a small glass of fruit juice, and less than in white bread with spread and marmalade. There is no official European limit on sugar intake but guideline dietary amounts used by the industry suggest intakes should not exceed 90g/d. None of the cereals surveyed provided more than 1g of salt per serving. The target for daily salt intake is 6g/day.
2. Traffic Lights unfairly demonise almost all foods: The Multiple Traffic Light system used by Which? does not take into account the portion size. A recent European meeting convened by the International Life Sciences Institute agreed that a single 'one size fits all' category to classify food was not appropriate, particularly in the case of breakfast cereals. Breakfast cereals consumed with milk typically only provide 150-200 kilocalories, which make them a low calorie start to the day. Given current concerns about obesity, it is regrettable that such unhelpful categorisation of food is being communicated. Most Nutritionists prefer Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) as a method for labelling the nutritional value of food as it clearly states the amount of nutrients in the product based on recommended daily amounts.
3. Misleading information on sugar and fat levels in cereals: On average, cereals only contribute less than 6% of the average daily sugar intake in children and less than 10% of the average adult intake2. The amount of fat in cereals is generally low except for those containing nuts, which are a good source of 'good' poly and mono unsaturated fats. Nuts are also a source of antioxidants including selenium and Vitamin E, and other vitamins and minerals also present in them including iron, zinc, thiamin (B1) and magnesium. Overall, independent research has shown breakfast cereals do not make a significant contribution to energy, fat or sugar in the overall diet of the UK population. Current research also shows that people who eat breakfast cereals regularly (including pre-sweetened breakfast cereals) have a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) and healthier weight than those who do not eat breakfast cereals. Sugar levels are higher in products that contain dried fruit. These however contribute to the FSA's recommended '5 a day'.
4. Lecithin in oats: The Which? report indicates that plain oats get an amber traffic light because they contain lecithin. This is factually incorrect. Oats naturally contain c. 9.0g/100g fat3 and therefore all plain oat varieties will be amber for fat as it occurs naturally in oats. The Joint Health Claims Initiative recently approved a health claim for oat-based cereals. Oats were also one of the first cereals to have a health claim approved by the US FDA because of their cholesterol lowering properties. Oats contain high levels of B vitamins, antioxidants and 'good' unsaturated fats as well as soluble fibre, which we know can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar levels. Overall they contain about 9% fat, of which 80% is 'good' unsaturated fat. Wholegrain oats are a brilliant base for cereals because as well as their rich nutritional content, they taste good and have a low GI value, which means energy is released slowly into the body, reducing the desire to snack on less healthy foods.
WHAT THE REPORT FAILED TO TELL YOU:
1. Breakfast cereals are a rich source of vitamins and minerals: Many cereals, especially those targeted at children, are fortified with vitamins and minerals, which provide at least 25% of daily requirements for essential vitamins and 17% for iron. Cereals are an excellent source of folic acid, important source of vitamin B12 for vegans and vegetarians, the main dietary source of thiamin (vitamin B1) and have significant amounts of riboflavin and niacin. Research also shows that cereal consumers have superior nutrient intakes than those who do not eat cereals4.
2. Breakfast cereals are a good source of calcium for growing children: Eating breakfast cereal with milk is one of the easiest ways to increase calcium in the diet5 and approximately a third of all milk in the UK is consumed with breakfast cereal.
3. Breakfast cereals are a good source of fibre: Breakfast cereal is an important source of dietary fibre and is the single most important way of increasing wholegrain in the diet. 75% of cereals consumed are wholegrain and high fibre varieties6.
4. Breakfast cereals make a small salt contribution to the diet: Breakfast cereals on average only contribute a very small proportion of salt to the diet - less than 5% of the average adult daily intake. The salt content of cereals has also been reduced by 33% over the last few years, which is based on thorough research and consumer acceptability.
5. Breakfast cereals are one of the best ways to start the day: Nutritionists and dietitians agree on the important role of breakfast cereals. The FSA also recommends 'not skipping breakfast' as one of their Top Tips in the Eat Well leaflet7 , and suggests having wholegrain cereals with fruit or fruit juice. With research showing that that 1 in 5 children are still going to school on an empty stomach, breakfast cereals remain a healthy, quick and convenient way to start the day.
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For further information contact the BCIS Team on:
Tel: 020 7815 3900
Email: info@breakfastcereal.org
References
1Henderson, L., J. Gregory, and G. Swan, The National Diet and Nutrition Survey: adults aged 19 to 64 years. Volume 1: Types and quantities of foods consumed. 2002, Office for National Statistics: TSO, London
2NDNS 2004 – Survey of 4-18 yr olds. Gregory et al
3(McCance and Widdowson's The Composition of Foods' Sixth Summary edition)
4Henderson, L., J. Gregory, and G. Swan, The National Diet and Nutrition Survey: adults aged 19 to 64 years. Volume 1: Types and quantities of foods consumed. 2002, Office for National Statistics: TSO, London
5British Nutrition Foundation
6Henderson, L., J. Gregory, and G. Swan, The National Diet and Nutrition Survey: adults aged 19 to 64 years. Volume 1: Types and quantities of foods consumed. 2002, Office for National Statistics: TSO, London
7FSA Eat Well Booklet http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/8tips/ 2005
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