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Action on Salt

COVID-19 and the New Normal

Blog by Holly Gabriel RNutr, Nutrition Campaigner, Action on Sugar

Published:

We are living in strange times (I avoid the use of the word ‘unprecedented’ for fear of losing you in the first sentence). I am writing this blog from home as so many of us are, struggling to find space in our spare rooms, lofts and garages. Carefully blurring our backgrounds in team meetings so we don’t display our clothes airers and general household detritus to our work colleagues. Although I am used to this way of working as I am usually home based, this feels different somehow. For a start, I have my partner here taking up my valuable space. But as a colleague wisely told me on a Zoom call the other day ,  “we are not working from home; we are forced to stay home and we’re trying to work” - A concept which very much resonated with me. 

As we adjust to this new way of working, we also have to adjust to the complete change in the landscape of our working lives. The CASSH team is formed of Nutritionists and Researchers and our work is focused on influencing and reaching consensus with government and food and drink manufacturers to improve the food environment, and make it easier for everyone to find healthy, affordable options.

Government and Public Health England are rightly focusing their attention on COVID-19 so we have waved goodbye to hearing much awaited announcements and vital consultation outcomes as part of the childhood obesity plan, such as the sugar reduction programme and calorie labelling in restaurants and cafes, which somehow went from being so important to quite odd to talk about. The idea of sitting in a café or restaurant now seems both alien and an unappreciated luxury. Many restaurants and cafes have had to close, and many have had to change their business model overnight to offer takeaway and delivery services. A friend jokingly suggested that perhaps we focus on ensuring fast food restaurants stay shut as a solution to our change in direction. Joking aside, we must find a way for the food and drink industry to recover from this and thrive, without damaging our health in the process.

What does all this mean for our health beyond COVID-19? Visits to A&E for non-COVID-19 related conditions are down and many are struggling to access nutritious food or conversely have access to too much excess in the way of takeaways and alcohol. Many of us are less active, but I imagine some are taking advantage of their one outing a day to go for a run, cycle or a long walk, when they previously would have only made it to their car door. 

We are used to being the organisation that is not afraid to speak up and risk criticism (and the trolls) to protect children’s health and the NHS for future generations. But we must admit that we have come to, dare I say it, an unprecedented time for our work, where even we have struggled to find the right words.  How do we talk about improving the out of home sector when there is barely any of the out of home sector operating? How can we demand retailers do more to improve products when they are under immense pressure just to put food on their shelves….and how do we talk about obesity? Health conditions related to overweight and obesity cost the NHS billions and diet related illnesses are a major cause of death and disability.  As more evidence comes to light as to the added complications obesity and related conditions have on outcomes of COVID-19 it is even more crucial that we continue with our work to set a new precedent - one for a healthy, affordable and sustainable food system.

 

 

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