Food snacking could 'cost lives'
22 June, 2004

Cakes and chocolates are favourite snacks among people in Scotland
People in Scotland who skip lunch and snack on high fat foods could be taking years off their lives, a new report has warned.
About a third of Scots regularly miss lunch and instead opt for snacks which are high in saturated fats.

And almost all eat between meals - with chocolate, crisps, cakes and pies the most popular choice of snacks.

Experts say the nation's eating habits are a "significant contributor" to the rise coronary heart disease.

The Working Lunches report claims about one-third of Scots (30%) regularly skip lunch at work and instead choose to "graze" on foods which are often dangerously high in saturated fats.

Manual workers, such as factory staff or labourers, are more likely to miss lunch than non-manual workers, the survey found.

The report, published by health education charity Developing Patient Partnerships (DPP), revealed that a massive 92% of people in Scotland snack between meals.

While the majority - 46% - prefer chocolate, 39% admit to snacking on crisps, 36% favour cakes and pastries, while 17% feast on pies and sausage rolls.

The findings are part of a new DPP campaign DIY Cholesterol Control - which aims to show people how to cut cholesterol levels and reduce their risk of heart disease.

One in eight people in Britain has heart disease - nearly double the number in 1989.

About 70% of people in Scotland suffer from raised cholesterol levels, but while high cholesterol is the biggest risk factor for developing heart disease, few people understand the link, said health expert Dr David Wrigley.

He explained: "Around two-thirds of the adult population have raised blood cholesterol and yet the majority of people are unaware that it is a threat to their health."

The survey revealed that almost three-quarters of Scots, 72%, do not know what a healthy blood cholesterol level should be.

Manual workers

And more than a third, 37%, admitted they did not know how to tackle high blood cholesterol.

The report also investigated statistics released by the British Heart Foundation last month which revealed premature death rates from coronary heart disease were 58% higher for male manual workers than for male non-manual workers.

The report noted: "The signs are that the gap between professional occupations and manual workers is widening because death rates in low income groups are remaining static, compared to declining rates in higher income groups."

Dr Wrigley said the results of the research among lower socio-economic groups was particularly worrying, with data to suggest that this group was more likely to die from the UK's biggest killer.

Health experts want to see people eat less fatty foods
He added: "To address the gulf in understanding and knowledge, we need to increase access to information about cholesterol and its implications on health."

The survey interviewed 200 people in Scotland between May and June this year.

The DIY Cholesterol Control campaign will include a leaflet outlining steps people can take to control their cholesterol.

More than 150,000 copies of the leaflet have been distributed to DPP member GP surgeries in the UK.

Health chiefs have welcomed the new campaign, saying it could help to save lives.

Dr Bill O'Neill, Scottish secretary of the BMA, said: "Scots have a notorious record on health and reports such as this illustrate how complacent we are becoming about what we eat and how we look after ourselves.

"This campaign will help to drive home the point that a little change can make a big difference.

"This long-term investment in health will help reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes. Perhaps it could even help us to lose the dreaded label as 'sick man of Europe'."