New version of the Eat Well Plate

The British Dietetic Association is pleased to announce that Public Health England has today released an updated version of the Eat Well Plate. 

The British Dietetic Association (BDA), founded in 1936, is the professional association and trade union for registered dietitians in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is the nation’s largest organisation of food and nutrition professionals with over 8,500 members.

The Eat Well Plate (EWP) is a pictorial summary of the main food groups and their recommended proportions for a healthy diet. To view the EWP, please visit the Public Health England website.

The Change4Life Wales website has the Welsh language version of the new Eatwell Guide.

Commenting on the updated EWP, Dietitian and BDA spokesperson Kirsten Whitehead said,

“The new Plate builds on the success and familiarity of the previous model but also addresses some of its limitations. For example, the new model includes recommendations for fluid consumption, with suggestions for healthy options. As sugar sweetened drinks currently provide a significant proportion of energy intake for many people often with little nutritional benefit, the increased awareness of healthier options and clearly defined upper limits for fruit juice and smoothies should help decrease the excessive consumption of these products.

“One of the other limitations of the previous Plate was the lack of information about salt intake so this is a welcome addition. Moreover, the recommendation of at least five portions of vegetables and fruit every day is outlined, which provides consistent messaging for the 5-a-day campaign. Vegetables and fruits are important sources of dietary fibre and it is good to see fibre mentioned more explicitly than before, particularly as recent SACN recommendations suggest that increased intake is required.

“It is now easy to see that foods high in fat, (particularly saturated fat), and high in sugar are not essential for a healthy balanced diet and that consumption should be decreased. The addition of the traffic light guidance used on food packaging should support people to identify these foods and to make healthier choices. The reminder to consider fat and sugar content of foods in other food groups e.g. ‘dairy and alternatives’, will support this. 

“Additionally the updated Plate refers to the concept of sustainability in food consumption, for example with the explicit inclusion of beans and pulses within the protein section, which is becoming increasingly important globally.

“Developing a perfect model is a huge challenge, particularly with the need to consider sustainability as well as healthy eating within a diverse culture. However, the new Eat Well Plate guide should support the promotion of a healthier and more sustainable intake of food and drinks, leading to a healthier population”. 

The process of producing the new plate included extensive reviews of updates in the latest research, guidance and evidence in the topic of diet, nutrition and health.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

• Visit the BDA website at www.bda.uk.com
• Dietitians are the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems at an individual and wider public health level. Uniquely, dietitians use the most up to date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease, which they translate into practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices.
• Dietitians are the only nutrition professionals to be statutorily regulated, and governed by an ethical code, to ensure that they always work to the highest standard. Dietitians work in the NHS, private practice, industry, education, research, sport, media, public relations, publishing, Non-Government Organisations and government. Their advice influences food and health policy across the spectrum from government, local communities and individuals.