- UK government’s nutrition advisers are paid by world’s largest food companies, BMJ analysis reveals
- VitaminDWiki - UK (SACN) is ignoring scores of Vitamin D studies
- VitaminDWiki - Ultra-processed food consumption: 2X increased risk of vitamin D deficiency – Dec 2023
- VitaminDWiki - Ultra-processed foods associated with worse health and lower Vitamin D - many studies
- VitaminDWiki - 99.7% of people who got Diabetes had been regularly consuming food emulsifiers - May 2024
- SACN: 400 IU if over age 1: including pregnant women, high risk groups, obese, dark skin, etc.
- The UK (SACN) does not require ANY UK foods to be fortified with vitamin D
UK government’s nutrition advisers are paid by world’s largest food companies, BMJ analysis reveals
BMJ 2024; 386 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q1909
Click here for interactive graphic
More than half of the experts on the UK government’s advisory panel on nutrition have links to the food industry, a BMJ analysis has found. At least 11 of the 17 members of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) have conflicts of interest with the likes of Nestlé, sugar manufacturer Tate and Lyle, and the world’s largest ice cream producer, Unilever.
SACN is a powerful group of people appointed as independent experts that provides advice to the government—which in turn influences policy. Since its establishment in 2000 it has produced high profile guidelines on daily salt and sugar intake, vitamin D supplements, and feeding babies.
But there is concern that both SACN and the previous governments reviewing its recommendations have not done enough to curb rising rates of obesity and food related ill health. Currently, 28.3% of women and 26.9% of men in the UK are obese, up from 13.8% and 10.7%, respectively, three decades ago.1 Deaths from premature heart disease in England are at their highest in 14 years,2 and diabetes cases in the UK are at record levels.3
Campaigners say that these conflicts of interests at the heart of policy making are detrimental to public health. Others say that they reflect the lack of funding for nutrition research and that removing experts with industry links from SACN would “diminish” its expertise (Video 1).
Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki
VitaminDWiki - UK (SACN) is ignoring scores of Vitamin D studies
VitaminDWiki - Ultra-processed food consumption: 2X increased risk of vitamin D deficiency – Dec 2023
VitaminDWiki - Ultra-processed foods associated with worse health and lower Vitamin D - many studies
VitaminDWiki - 99.7% of people who got Diabetes had been regularly consuming food emulsifiers - May 2024
SACN: 400 IU if over age 1: including pregnant women, high risk groups, obese, dark skin, etc.
2016 PDF
SACN Summary & conclusions
- The RNI for vitamin D recommended for the UK population is based on protection of musculoskeletal health. The RNI represents the amount of a nutrient that is enough, or more than enough, to meet the needs of 97.5% of the population.
- A threshold serum 25(OH)D concentration of 25 nmol/L was used as the criterion for establishing the RNI for vitamin D. This concentration represents a 'population protective’ level; i.e., the concentration below which risk of poor musculoskeletal health is increased and above which the risk is decreased at a population level. The RNI was developed to ensure that the majority (97.5%) of the population has a serum 25(OH)D concentration > 25 nmol/L all year round.
- Sunlight UVB exposure could not be taken into account in setting the RNI because it was not possible to quantify the contribution it made to serum 25(OH)D concentrations within the general population.
- The process of translating the target serum 25(OH)D concentration of > 25 nmol/L into an RNI for vitamin D was based on dose response RCTs carried out during winter when UVB radiation is absent or minimal.
- An RNI of 10 ug/d (400 IU/d) of vitamin D is recommended for the UK population aged 4y and above. This represents the average amount of vitamin D (from natural food sources, fortified foods or supplements) that is needed to achieve a serum 25(OH)D concentration > 25 nmol/L during winter in 97.5% of the population. It refers to the average vitamin D intake over a period of time and takes account of day to day variations in intake.
- An RNI of 10 ug/d (400 IU/d) vitamin D for the general UK population aged 4y and over is a change to current advice.104
- The RNI assumes minimal sunshine exposure.
- As a precaution, it is recommended that the RNI is applicable throughout the year to protect population groups and unidentified individuals in the UK with a serum 25(OH)D concentration < 25 nmol/L in the summer.
- The RNI of 10 ug/d (400 IU/d) recommended for the general UK population (4y and above) includes pregnant and breast feeding women; i.e., a separate recommendation is now not required for pregnant and lactating women. This is a change from previous advice.
- The RNI of 10 ug/d (400 IU/d) makes provision for and therefore includes at risk population groups (frail older adults and other individuals not spending substantial time outdoors, those wearing concealing clothing; and people from ethnic groups with dark skin).
- A Safe Intake range of 8.5-10 ug/d (340-400 IU/d) is proposed for infants aged 0-11m and includes those who are exclusively breast-fed and those who are breast fed and part-formula fed, from birth. The Safe Intake recommended for exclusively breastfed infants is a change to previous advice.
- A Safe Intake of 10 ug/d (400 IU/d) is proposed for children aged 1 to < 4 y.
Current advice is that no dietary intake is necessary for individuals aged 4-64y with adequate exposure to sunlight.