asked the Minister for Health if Irish eating habits contribute to poor health among our citizens.
Written Answers. - Eating Habits.
24.
A number of reports in recent years have advocated basic changes to our diet. These include: a reduction of total fat and especially saturated fat, a reduction in salt intake and an increase in fibre. Total fat should not exceed 35 per cent of calories, while saturated fat should account for no more than 15 per cent calories; simple sugars such as glucose and sucrose should not exceed 18 per cent of calories. Fibre needs to be increased to between 25-30 grammes per day. These recommendations have implications for the kinds of foods currently consumed. On the basis of data from the Department of Health's nutritional surveillance system, nutrient intake from various foods is as follows:
|
Calories |
Fat |
Protein |
Fibre |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
Cereals |
25 |
2 |
30 |
36 |
|
Sugars |
15 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Potatoes |
9 |
— |
5 |
18 |
|
Fruit |
1 |
— |
— |
9 |
|
Vegetables |
1 |
— |
4 |
32 |
|
Eggs |
2 |
3 |
5 |
— |
|
Meat |
21 |
41 |
30 |
— |
|
Fish |
1 |
— |
4 |
— |
|
Milk |
10 |
13 |
20 |
— |
|
Oils |
15 |
41 |
— |
— |
Approximate intakes of nutrients as calculated by the surveillance system are:
—Fat gives 40.5 per cent of calories;
—Protein gives 11.2 per cent of calories;
—Carbohydrate (including simple sugars) gives 48.2 per cent of calories.
Fibre intake has been calculated at 20.3 grams.
On the basis of these data, significant changes in the national diet will be necessary to meet dietary guidelines. In general, what is required is more fibre-rich foods, more vegetables and more fruit, and a reduction in high fat foods, and foods high in added sugars. This will pose a considerable challenge for the food and agricultural industries in Ireland, particularly as Irish agriculture is heavily committed to the EC Common Agricultural Policy, which offers incentives to farmers to produce heavier and fatter meat animals and more sugar beet. The dairy industry continues to receive more support than any other sector within the industry from CAP. The result, Community-wide, is that we continue to produce more of these products than we should eat, or indeed, than we can eat and this has implications for our national diet.
It is not possible to state absolutely that Irish eating habits contribute to poor health. Some conditions of ill-health have a dietary component however, e.g. heart disease, certain cancers, diabetis mellitus and cirrhosis of the liver.
There is preliminary evidence that overall levels of heart disease may now be stabilising, or even decreasing in certain age groups; however, it remains the single largest cause of death in both males and females. Atherosclerosis and hypertensive disease appear to be on the down-turn, as it diabetes mellitus, at least for females. The position for colon-rectal cancer is unchanged in recent years, and for males in the 55-64 age group, there is evidence that the rates are on the increase. Cirrhosis of the liver may be rising for females, and dropping for males.
Diet is one component, albeit an important one, of the general lifestyle of the individual. Other lifestyle factors which have an impact on our health are living and working environments, smoking, employment status, cultural and traditional values, exercise and weight control. I have asked the Health Promotion Unit of my Department to report to me on nutrition and health as a basis for a broadly based health promotion strategy to improve the health and lifestyle of the individual. I will also be raising with my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture and Food, through the Subcommittee of Government Ministers on health promotion, the role and relationship of the food supply and a national diet conductive to good health.