McDonald’s fries are healthier than organic yogurt or even some types of porridge, according to the strange formula the Government will use to classify whether a food should face advertising restrictions.
Ministers plan to introduce legislation that will curb “junk” food and drink adverts broadcast before 9pm on television, and remove online adverts entirely in a bid to combat rising childhood obesity in Britain .
The nanny state measure has already faced criticism from experts who say the rules unfairly target healthy foods like muesli, but leave sausage rolls packed in fat and salt exempt.
Yesterday, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting revealed the 13 food and drink categories that would be subject to a proposed advertising ban as well as exemptions.
These foods and drinks will be subject to a formula created more than a decade ago that aims to determine whether a food is ‘junk’ or not.
However, MailOnline can reveal that this equation strangely classifies fast food crisps as healthy, while veggie wraps and some yoghurts, muesli and porridge are unhealthy.
It also groups foods that have a markedly different nutritional profile into the same unhealthy category; For example, English muffins for breakfast are as bad for your health as pizza, according to the rules.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) says the measures could prevent 20,000 cases of childhood obesity.
But with such confusing criteria, experts have warned that the guidance could have the opposite effect and cause Britons to abandon healthy eating altogether.
MailOnline can reveal that this equation strangely classifies fast food crisps as healthy, while veggie wraps and some yoghurts, muesli and porridge are unhealthy.
“If people think they’re being told muesli is suddenly unhealthy, they’ll give up and think, ‘Well, if it’s all bad for me, I might as well go eat a Mars bar,'” Dr. Max said. Pemberton, psychiatrist and founder of the weight loss company GetSlimmr.
So how did the Government make its calculations? And are we right to consider porridge and muesli bad for us? Here, MailOnline reveals all.
What are the 13 categories of food and beverages subject to restrictions and which are exempt?
Yesterday, the Department of Health and Social Care announced that the following food and drink categories would be subject to potential restrictions from October next year.
These were soft drinks, salty snacks, breakfast cereals, chocolates and sweets, ice cream, cakes and muffins, cookies and cereal and protein bars, the so-called “products of the day”, desserts and puddings, yogurts, pizzas, potato products and prepared dishes.
The accompanying literature details a list of exactly what foods are included as part of these categories and whether any exceptions apply.
For example, soft drinks include sodas, fruit juices, kefirs, and energy drinks. However, it excludes milk and any fruit or vegetable juice without added sugar.
Meanwhile, the ambiguously named “morning products” include a host of pastries and baked goods such as croissants, chocolate bread, buns, buns, fruit loaves and hot cross buns.
Salty snacks include chips, but dried fruit is exempt. While breakfast cereals include not only cereals but also products such as porridge and muesli as potentially risky options for health.
The numerous exemptions have drawn particular criticism from experts.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Obesity deprives our children of the best possible start in life, sets them up for a lifetime of health problems and costs the NHS billions.” This Government is taking action now to end junk food adverts aimed at children, both on television and online.
While cakes are on the list, cake frosting is exempt. While ice cream is on the list, ice cream sauces, which can contain sugar, are not.
One of the biggest exemptions is in category 13, a group that includes ready meals, burgers, fish and chips and sandwiches.
However, the Government lists savory pastry products such as sausage rolls and quiches as exempt from the rules, as well as other foods such as “battered cheese products”.
It should be noted that just because a product is in one of the 13 categories does not mean it automatically faces restrictions; their “nutritional profile” still needs to be evaluated.
How does the Government determine if a product should face restrictions?
Health bosses said the foods and drinks on the list will be assessed using a “nutrient profile model” developed more than a decade ago.
This is a formula that is a combination of two scores, one that evaluates its unhealthy qualities and the other its healthy qualities.
The unhealthy score evaluates foods and drinks based on calorie count, saturated fat content, and total sugars and salt, per 100g.
Interestingly, items such as McDonald’s fires are classified as healthy according to the calculation proposed by the Government.
This will give the item a total unhealthy score of a possible maximum of 40 points.
The food or drink is then rated on its healthy qualities, such as fiber content and amount of protein, the building blocks of our muscles, up to a possible maximum of 15 points.
This healthy score is then subtracted from the unhealthy counterpart to obtain a final figure.
If this final figure is three or less, the item is considered healthy. On the contrary, a result greater than four means junk food and would be subject to the advertising ban.
But MailOnline can reveal that this leads to some unexpected results.
For example, according to calculations, McDonald’s is classified as healthy and therefore not subject to advertising restrictions.
The famous fries get 0 points for calories, since they do not meet the 335 calorie threshold necessary to score a point.
They score 0 points for sugar, one for saturated fat and five for salt, bringing the total unhealthy score to six.
On the other hand, the humble bun, one of the ‘morning products’, is rated around 10 mainly due to its salt content.
But chips regain one point for protein, as well as four for fiber, bringing the total healthy score to five.
This results in a final score of one, which is healthy according to the system.
In contrast, Yeo Valley Organic Strawberry Yogurt gets a final score of five and is therefore classified as junk food.
Similarly, a Mexican-style bean and sweet potato wrap from Waitrose, packed with healthy vegetables such as spinach, sweet potato, beans, corn and onion, scores a four, making it an unhealthy junk food.
Meanwhile, the frozen potato emojis get a healthy three, while the fish fingers, thanks to being packed with protein, get a two.
Although basic porridges are avoided, those that contain added sugars, such as golden syrup aromas, for example, are ruled out.
Quaker’s Oat So Simple Golden Syrup packets score a whopping 10 points, while children’s cereal, Sainsbury’s Rice Pops, sneaks in a triple.
On the other hand, buns have an approximate value of 10, mainly due to their salt content.
Experts say it is vital that healthy foods, such as plain porridge and muesli, for example, are not maligned by being placed on the Government’s potentially “unhealthy” list.
Additionally, if a food scores 11 unhealthy points, its healthy points are automatically removed.
This is designed to ensure that items such as hamburgers, full of unhealthy fats and salt, do not appear healthy due to their high amounts of protein.
What do nutritionists think?
Experts say it is vital that healthy foods such as plain porridge and muesli are not maligned for being on the Government’s potentially ‘unhealthy’ list.
Rob Hobson, a registered dietitian, said the situation was “very confusing for consumers.”
“We have to avoid a situation where healthy foods are demonized,” he said.
It acknowledged that some formulations, such as oatmeal sachets containing golden syrup, may contain about half the recommended adult sugar limit of 30g.
But he said this should come down to “common sense.” “Porridge with milk is not junk food,” he said.
‘It is a great source of fiber and, when combined with milk, provides protein. With a little fruit, it’s a healthy and balanced breakfast.’