In news that could see hungry dieters reaching for the biscuit tin in delight, a report has suggested that the recommended daily intake of 2000 calories for women and 2500 for men could be increased by up to 16% -- or an extra 400 calories, the equivalent of an average sized cheeseburger.
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition says calorie experts have underestimated levels of physical activity in Britain and set their advice on energy intake too low.
However, health campaigners say the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency could seek to minimise the report’s influence in an effort to avoid sending out mixed messages in the middle of an obesity epidemic.
Dietician Lorraine McCreary, of advice service Diet Scotland, said: “People have lived with these established guidelines for a long time and most people understand if they go above the recommended intake they are likely to put on weight, particularly if they are not very active.
“This research would be fine if we were dealing with a lean society but we are not … It think it is going to be very confusing for people.”
The committee has stressed that the findings are not the green-light to eat more high-calorie food and people should only eat more if they exercise more, given rising levels of obesity.
The proposals are due to go out for consultation, after which final recommendations will be made.
The current guidelines on the calorie intake required for good health were established in 1991. They are the basis for a raft of UK food and drink labelling schemes and any change could require the food industry to overhaul its packaging, a costly process.
Adam Leyland, editor of trade magazine The Grocer, said: “The temptation must be to sweep this under the carpet and continue to give people the advice they have given because 2,000 and 2,500 are nice round numbers.”
