Vol. 405 No. 9
178 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the recent national nutrition survey of the Irish diet was sponsored totally by a company (details supplied) and resulted in considerable increase in their advertising market; and if he will consider funding a national survey and use the results to promote Irish grown foods instead of imported processed foods.
179 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is increasing popularity of health food shops and their produce sold in supermarkets; whether he will consider conducting a survey of the regular customers in order to estimate the benefits people personally find by changing their diets and using more whole foods rather than those of the processed variety; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 179 together.
I am aware that the recent national nutrition survey carried out by the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute was sponsored by the company (details supplied). The institute is the professional body of the dietetic profession in this country and the proposals for, and the conducting and analysis of, the survey were carried out independently, professionally and objectively by the institute.
I am not in a position to comment on what effect, if any, this survey may have had on the company's advertising market. No doubt, however, other food companies will pay close attention to the results of the survey towards meeting the nutritional requirements of the population.
I am satisfied that in general adequate research is available both on what we eat and how our eating patterns influence our long term health prospects. In this context the results of the INDI survey were encouraging and showed that a varied and nutritious supply of food is available to the Irish population.
My Department now intends to update its nutritional surveillance programmes and to arrange for the carrying out of micro-surveys, as necessary, to ensure that a comprehensive data base on the food supply, food consumption patterns and morbidity and mortality associated with nutrition is maintained as a basis for policy planning and service development. In this regard, at my request the Nutritional Sub-Committee of the Advisory Council on Health Promotion is also currently reviewing strategy in relation to food and good health and will make recommendations to me shortly. Central to any strategy must be helping people to make informed choices about the food they eat and the provision of healthy food through catering and retail outlets, irrespective of the origin of the foodstuffs or the type of retail outlet in which they are sold.
