Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has any plans to review the effectiveness of the dietary advice provided by NHS England.

There are currently no plans to review the effectiveness of the NHS England’s dietary advice which is provided to commissioners via ‘Commissioning Excellent Nutrition and Hydration (2015-2018)’. This guidance was developed in conjunction with key partners including the British Dietetic Association and the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. Commissioners will be expected to continue to give due regard to the existing guidance, which remains relevant.

It is difficult to assess the direct contribution that policy tools, such as the Eatwell Guide, have on eating habits due to the range of influences affecting dietary choices. Therefore, no assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the Eatwell Guide to directly alter eating habits.