Low-fat foods 'may not contain fewer calories'

Thursday 20 September 2012

So-called low fat foods can contain a similar number of calories as the standard versions – and might even contain more sugar, according to a study.

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Which? found that six out of 10 consumers eat low-fat and light foods several times a week thinking they are a healthier option.

But a snapshot sample of 12 low-fat, reduced and light products compared with their standard versions found minimal differences in calorie content.

A standard McVitie's chocolate digestive contained 85 calories and a light one had 77. The difference of eight calories could be burned off in less than a minute of swimming or running, it found.A Tesco low-fat yoghurt had more calories per pot at 130 than a standard Activia version at 123, while the Tesco option contained more sugar at 20.2g – more than four teaspoons – than the 16.9g in the Activia pot.Which? found misconceptions among consumers about the meaning of the terms reduced fat and light, with 16% of people correctly responding that products carrying the label had to contain 30% less fat than the standard alternative.Labelling regulations define low fat as containing less than 3% fat, the terms reduced fat, light and lite mean 30% less fat than standard, and more than 20g of fat per 100g makes a product high in fat.Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: "Consumers are choosing low-fat and light options believing them to be a healthier choice, but our research has found that in many cases they're just not living up to their healthy image. Our advice to consumers is to read the nutrition labels carefully."United Biscuits, which makes the McVitie's chocolate digestive, said the report was misleading.A spokesman said: "While it focused on the fact that the Lights variant of the McVitie's chocolate digestive had only eight fewer calories per biscuit than the standard product, it ignored the fact that the Lights version had 30% less fat."

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Low-fat foods 'may not contain fewer calories'

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