Scottish Dietary Targets 2005 How to achieve each target and how they benefit our health.

Fruit and Vegetables Target: Average intake to double to more than 400grams per day. Tips: add sliced banana to breakfast cereal. put salad into sandwiches. drink a glass of fruit juice or eat a handful of dried fruit as a snack. eat vegetable soup and add vegetables to meat casseroles

Why? – Benefits to health More Fruit and Vegetables: are a good source of non starch polysaccharide. NSP may help prevent constipation and related bowel diseases. provide the body with antioxidant vitamins A and C. which helps prevent cancer and iron to prevent anaemia. add bulk to the diet,( low in fat and sugar) thus helping maintain a healthy body weight. (prevent obesity)

Bread Target: Intake to increase by 45% from the present daily intake , mainly using wholemeal and brown breads. Tips: try bagels, pitta bread, naan or muffins for variety. eat a sandwich as an after school snack. use bread in recipes such as bread and butter pudding. use wholemeal breadcrumbs as a topping e.g tuna bake

Why? Benefits to health Eat more bread: is high in NSP which helps to prevent constipation and related bowel diseases. is low in fat, so reduces the risk of heart disease. adds bulk to the diet so you are less likely to snack on high-sugar, high-fat foods, reducing the risk of obesity and tooth decay provides energy in the form of complex carbohydrate, B-group vitamins. Some are fortified with iron to prevent anaemia and calcium which helps prevent rickets and osteoporosis.

Breakfast cereals Target: Average intake of breakfast cereal to double from the present intake of 17grams per day or double to 34g per day Tips: have a bowl of whole grain cereal as an after school snack. eat low sugar cereal bars as a snack add muesli to fruit crumble toppings. add crushed cereal and oats to biscuit recipes

Why? Benefits to health Eat more breakfast cereals: like bread, contain NSP which help prevent constipation and related bowel diseases. add bulk to the diet, so less likely to snack on high fat and high sugary foods so help prevent obesity and tooth decay. provides a source of calcium and iron, as some breakfast cereals are fortified with calcium to reduce risk of osteoporosis and iron, which reduces risk of and anaemia. Also eaten with milk which is rich in calcium.

Fats Target: Average intake of total fat to reduce to no more than 35% of food energy. Average intake of saturated fat to reduce to no more than 11% of food energy. Tips: use low fat spreads such as Flora margarine. try semi-skimmed milk instead of full fat milk. trim visible fat from meat before cooking. grill, bake or boil foods rather than frying in oil or lard

Why? Benefit to health Reducing the amount of fat in the diet: helps to control and maintain a healthy weight range (prevent obesity) as you are consuming less total fat which is high in calories or kjoules. may decrease the risk factors for developing coronary heart disease as you are consuming less saturated fat if you eat less animal fat e.g. butter, cream and cheese.

Salt Target: Average intake to reduce from 163mmol per day to 100mmol per day. Practical tips to reduce salt intake: add herbs and spices instead of salt to your cooking. do not add salt to your food at the table. try to use fresh foods as much as possible and eat less processed foods. eat less high salt foods such as bacon, savoury snacks and crisps.

Why? Benefit to health Reducing salt in your diet: may help to prevent high blood pressure. high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and strokes.

Sugar Target: Average intake of NME( non- milk extrinsic) sugars in adults not to increase. Average intake of NME sugars in children to reduce by half, i.e. to less than 10% of total energy. Ways to reduce sugar in the diet: choose fresh fruit and vegetables instead of canned fruit in syrup drink water between meals instead of fizzy drinks. snack on fresh fruit, vegetable sticks and dip, yogurt, fromage frais, cereal bars, nuts and seeds or cheese sandwiches instead of sweets and chocolate.

Why? Benefit to health Reducing sugar in your diet: may help prevent dental caries or tooth decay as sugar and plaque in the mouth forms acids which can attack the enamel of the teeth, causing decay may help to manage a healthy weight range and prevent obesity as sugar provides empty calories.

Total Complex Carbohydrates Target: Increase average intake by 25% through increased consumption of fruit and vegetables, bread, breakfast cereals, rice and pasta and through an increase of 25% in potato consumption. Tips: serve rice with savoury and sweet dishes. enjoy a baked potato as a lunchtime snack. make pasta with tomato and basil sauce. have bread as an accompaniment to a meal

Why? Benefit to health Eat more Total Complex Carbohydrates: are low in fat – reduced risk of obesity and heart disease. add bulk to the diet so you are less likely to snack on high-sugar, high-fat foods, reducing risk of tooth decay and obesity provide the body with NSP which helps to prevents constipation and related bowel diseases. provide the body with energy quickly. are good sources of B-group vitamins, iron to prevent anaemia and calcium to prevent osteoporosis.

Fish Target: White fish consumption to be maintained at current levels. Oily fish consumption to double from 44 grams per week to 88 grams per week. Tips: make your own salmon fish cakes. try a tuna or sardine sandwiches. fish fingers make a quick meal. have salmon, trout or tuna as a main meal

Why? Benefit to health Eat more oily fish: provides a good source of protein, which is important for growth and repair of the body. in particular oily types, such as salmon and sardines, contain essential fatty acids, such as omega 3 fatty acids which may help to prevent heart disease as it reduces the risk of blood clots forming. may help prevent the risk of heart disease as it is low in saturated fat and higher in unsaturated fat.

Breastfeeding Target: The proportion of mothers breastfeeding their babies for the first 6 weeks of life should increase to more than 50% from the present incidence of around 30%.

Why? Benefit to the newborn baby Breastfeeding is beneficial because: breast milk provides all the energy and nutrients the baby needs for growth, development and maintenance. breast milk also contains special proteins, antibodies and white blood cells which help to protect the baby against infection( improved immunity).

For further information, visit www.nutrition.org.uk