Britain’s new diet: the 400-600-600 plan to counter obesity

Nearly two thirds of adults are now overweight, and one in five children is obese before primary school

Britain needs to go on a diet, Public Health England has warned, as it set out new calorie guidelines to cut meal sizes, ruling out favourites like Fish and Chips or a Sunday Roast.

Under its new ‘One You’ campaign, launched today, Britons are being encouraged to stick to 400 calories at breakfast, and 600 calories for both lunch and dinner.

Critics branded the daily allowance too low for growing children and close to war rations, but public health experts warned that obesity had now become ‘the norm’ and said most people were eating hundreds of extra calories each day.

The new restrictions would rule out traditional meals such as Fish and Chips and a Sunday Roast which are both around 800 calories, as well as many curry, pizza and pasta dishes.

PHE has also given the food industry six years to cut calories in family foods by 20 per cent and warned that those who failed to comply would be named and shamed and potentially face government sanction.

The calorie reduction programme will include everyday items such as bread, cooking sauces, crisps, processed meat, rice, pasta, ready meals, sandwiches and pizza.

Dr Alison Tedstone said the food groups chosen made up the ‘lion’s share’ of calories eaten by families on a daily basis.

“A few healthy options on the end of a menu won’t help solve the nation’s obesity problem - we need the regular everyday products to change,” she said.

PHE said the remaining calories could be met through snacking but Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum said 1600 calories was not enough.

Under the new rules, traditionally unhealthy foods, such as a bacon sandwich for breakfast, or a MacDonald’s Big Mac for lunch, would still be allowed

A senior Ofsted official also blamed obesity in children on the overly risk averse environment of nurseries and pre-schools which prevented youngsters from ‘running around to the point of exhaustion.’