By
the Rt. Hon. Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
MA LLB MP, Minister of State, Scottish Office |
| What we eat
has a profound effect on our health. A balanced and
nutritious diet supports fitness and health. A poor diet
can lead eventually to serious illness. The Scottish diet
is notoriously bad and, next to smoking, is the most
significant contributor to our poor health record,
including our high rates of early death from coronary
heart disease, cancers and stroke. The toll poor diet
takes is wider than death alone. Poor quality of life for
patients and their families, disablement, and loss of
earnings and of production are other, serious,
consequences. It is in all of our interests to do what we
can to tackle the problem. |
| In 1994 we
announced a series of targets for dietary improvement in
Scotland, by the year 2005. To help reach those targets,
we set up the Scottish Diet Action Group, with the task
of preparing an Action Plan. The Group, which I - and,
earlier, Peter Fraser - chaired , brought together
experts from all the sectors with an interest in food in
Scotland. I am very grateful to them for their ideas,
help and expertise. |
| What we eat
is, of course, what we choose to eat, and that must
always be the case. But the reality is that each of us
can choose to improve our diet. That improvement would be
greater if all of us understood what we can each do to
help make choices which will lead to better health. This
Action Plan sets out a framework in which everyone with
an influence on what we eat - from food producers and
processors to the NHS, local authorities, schools,
caterers, retailers, the media and, of course, consumers
themselves - can choose to work together to bring about
dietary improvement in Scotland. |
| First and
foremost, the Plan recognises that diet cannot be changed
by decree or prescription. That would be unacceptable and
impracticable. Eating should be enjoyable, and, above
all, it should be based on choice. So the basis of the
Plan is a concerted approach, highlighting the steps the
various players can voluntarily take to improve diet. It
stresses the importance of clear information for
consumers, so that they can make informed choices about
what they eat. And it describes the steps the food
industry and other interests can decide to take to
enhance the availability of healthy foods and so provide
the people of Scotland with wider choices than many of
them have at present. |
| Equally, we
all know that change cannot be accomplished overnight.
Our eating habits have developed over many years and it
will take time to bring about the desired shift in
attitudes and behaviour. So the Plan is, in effect a
blueprint for action over the next decade. But even small
incremental changes now can make a real difference and
begin a process which will result in better health. |
| The
challenge is great but so is the opportunity. I firmly
believe that "Eating for Health: A Diet Action Plan
for Scotland" offers us the chance to achieve major
and lasting improvements in Scotland's health. I commend
it to you. |
| |
JAMES
DOUGLAS- HAMILTON
July 1996 |
