Issue 136 News

NEWS

Emma Coates Editor Emma has been a registered dietitian for 12 years, with experience of adult and paediatric dietetics.

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SUGAR REDUCTION PROGRAMME: PROGRESS REPORT In 2015, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published its report on Carbohydrates and Health, recommending that no more than 5% of our daily calories should come from sugar. In August 2016, the Government published Childhood obesity: A plan for action which included a commitment for Public Health England (PHE) to oversee a sugar reduction programme, which has challenged the food industry to reduce 20% of sugar from the food categories contributing the most sugar to diets of children up to 18 years, by 2020, with a 5% reduction in the first year. From 2017, the programme was extended to include setting targets to reduce total calories in a range of products and across all sectors.

In May 2018, PHE published a report assessing the industry’s progress towards achieving the first-year target of 5% sugar reduction. Key points from the report include: • There have been reductions in sugar levels in five out of the eight food categories where progress has been measured.

• For retailers own brand and manufacturer branded products, there has been a 2% reduction in total sugar per 100g.

• There have been reductions in the calorie content of products likely to be consumed in a single occasion in four out of the six categories where calorie reduction guidelines were set and where progress has been measured.

• For retailers own brand and manufacturer branded products, there has been a 2% reduction in calories in products likely to be consumed in a single occasion.

• For retailers own brand and manufacturer branded products for the drinks included in the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), there has been an 11% reduction in sugar levels per 100ml. The calorie content of SDIL drinks likely to be consumed on a single occasion also fell by 6%. There was, in addition, a shift in volume sales towards products with levels of sugar below 5g per 100g (these are not subject to the levy).

More information here . . . (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/709008/Sugar_reduction_progress_report.pdf)

TO BREASTFEED OR NOT - A WOMAN’S CHOICE The Royal College of units, with ‘sufficient investment’ in Midwives (RCM) has recently postnatal care. This enables women to published a new position receive the support they need. statement on infant feeding In line with the World Health recommending that parents Organisation (WHO) and UK choosing to formula feed their departments of health recommendbabies, whether exclusively or ations to promote and support partially, are given ‘balanced breastfeeding, the RCM confirms that and relevant information’, to support them exclusive breastfeeding for the first to do so safely and to encourage good six months of a baby’s life is the most bonding. The RCM also recommends that appropriate method of infant feeding mothers who choose to breastfeed should and that breastfeeding should continue have access to information and support in alongside complementary foods for up order to manage the various challenges of to two years. breastfeeding.

The full position statement can be found here . . .

The statement highlights the need for (www.rcm.org.uk/sites/default/files/Infant%20 appropriate staffing within maternity Feeding.pdf) 6

www.NHDmag.com July 2018 - Issue 136

NEWS FUNCTIONAL GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) DISORDERS NEW RESOURCE GI disorders are very common in babies.

Around 50% will suffer with at least one episode before six months of age. Such disorders can often lead to a vicious cascade of distressed infants, concerned parents, increased medical consultations, over-prescribing and use of overthe-counter medication, resulting in escalating healthcare costs.

New research finds that GPs could save the NHS millions of pounds by medicating less and reassuring parents more when it comes to infant reassurance to parents is a priority, however, reflux, colic and constipation. Research published only 53% of parents reported being reassured in BMJ Open shows a minimum of ÂŁ72.3 million by their GP, meaning there is a 30% mismatch per year (ÂŁ49.1 million by the NHS) is spent between GP intentions and parent reports on managing these conditions in England alone provision of reassurance.3 (actual figures are significantly higher).1 Also, a To help support GPs in the management new review of international guidelines in Acta of functional GI disorders, a new educational Paediatrica confirms that management should resource, developed by healthcare professionals, focus on parental reassurance and nutritional has been launched on MIMS Learning, which advice and that medication is rarely required.2 summarises the guidelines for reflux, colic and A recent survey found that 90% of GPs are constipation and includes a psychology-based influenced by parental anxiety when making motivational interviewing section on how their treatment decision, more than by treatment to give effective parental reassurance: www. guidelines. 83% of GPs said that providing mimslearning.co.uk/infantGIhealth.

References 1 Mahon J, Lifschitz C, Ludwig T et al. The costs of functional gastrointestinal disorders and related signs and symptoms in infants: a systematic literature review and cost calculation for England. BMJ Open 2017; 7:e015594. Doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015594 2 Salvatore S, Abkari A, Wei Cai et al. Review shows that parental reassurance and nutritional advice help to optimise the management of functional gastrointestinal disorders in infants. Acta Paediatrica 2018; doi: 10.1111/apa.14378 3 www.mimslearning.co.uk/managing-functional-gastrointestinal-disorders-in-infancy-integrating-clinical-recommendations-with-effectivecommunication-skills/activity/5426/

EXERCISE MAKES THE BLOOD OF OBESE PEOPLE HEALTHIER According to new research in The Journal of Physiology, exercise can reduce inflammation in obese people by changing the characteristics of their blood. The blood cells responsible for causing inflammation are formed from stem cells within the body. Exercise alters the characteristics of these blood forming stem cells and so reduces the number of blood cells likely to cause inflammation.

These findings provide a new explanation of how exercise may improve health in adults with obesity.

Young, lean adults and young, obese adults (who were otherwise healthy) were recruited for this study. Comprehensive physiological characterisation of all participants occurred before and after completion of a six-week exercise program. Blood was collected before and after the exercise training intervention to quantify blood-forming stem cells. The results of the study demonstrated that exercise reduced the number of blood-forming stem cells associated with the production of the type of blood cells responsible for inflammation.

The research group is now interested in determining whether these changes in blood cell populations improve the function of muscle and fat involved in energy consumption and storage among people with obesity. They are also looking to investigate whether these effects of exercise on blood cells are also seen in other chronic conditions associated with increased inflammation.

Find the full paper here . . . https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP276023

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