More than half of the nutrition advisors for the government of the United Kingdom have ties to major food industry businesses, according to a new analysis.
Newly released research from a BMJ investigation reveals that the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is comprised of 17 members, 11 of whom are connected to big-name food companies like Nestle and Unilever.
Those looking into the relation between the country’s top food advisors and the biggest businesses in the field described the potential impact such scandal is having on the “explosion of suffering and death” as a result of “diet-related disease” in the country.
SACN has direct influence over the culture as the appointed experts who serve on the committee offer guidance to the government, therefore impacting nutrition and food policy. Launched in 2000, the agency has put out well-known guidance related to daily diet health, including how much salt and sugar people should consume each day, advise on feeding infants, and thoughts on taking vitamin D supplements.
According to its website, the SACN exists to “advise on nutrition and related health matters,” reporting directly to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) as well as “other UK government organizations.”
However, the newly unveiled conflict of interests of the board members has given pause and a reason for concern among those who abide by SACN guidelines. Investigators for BMJ analyzed SACN member interests that have been shared via public documents on the government’s digital database. The data gathered in the analysis was from the last three years.
Their findings included the realization that member David Mela used to work as a senior scientist for Unilever and has continued to consult for the same company along with Tate and Lyle, a subset of Coca Cola called CBC Israel, and Cargill. Julie Lovegrove serves as both an SACN member and on the chair of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) of Europe. This group has member companies like Mondelez, General Mills, and Pepsico.
An additional six of the 11 members with apparent conflicts of interest are involved with SACN’s maternal and child nutrition program. Of these, Ann Prentice is a Nestle Foundation council member and Marion Hetherington works both paid and unpaid hours for Danone and Ella’s Kitchen. Mead Johnston Nutrition has also reportedly funded research conducted by SACN chair Ken Ong.
In response to the alarming research, experts in the food and nutrition field have weighed in, sharing their concern that the advisory committee may have harmed the public with guidance influenced by their business associations.
University College London professor Chris van Tulleken noted that the “behavior and beliefs” of individuals can be influenced in “unconscious ways” by “even small financial conflicts.” He added his hesitation to call the committee “very effective,” citing the increase in “diet-related disease” in the country.
Tulleken also said that some “independent experts” are “excellent” at their work but noted that these are few and far between, adding that the work of the committee is instead “hampered” by conflicting connections within the food industry. He noted that this has “created” the “health crisis” currently seen in the country and called for SACN to “become independent of the food industry.”
