Processed foods could be modified to be healthy

Pies and pastries could taste the same and fill you up, yet be low in fat and sugar, according to nutrition experts.

'Healthy' processed foods are crucial if we are to fight the nation's obesity problem, said Dr Gary Frost, head of nutrition at Hammersmith Hospital.

He said policies pushing fruit and vegetable consumption were doomed to fail, but ministers disagreed.

'Healthy junk'

According to the Health Development Agency, the prevalence of obesity has virtually trebled over the last 20 years.

If current trends continue, at least one third of adults and one fifth of boys and a third of girls will be obese by 2020, it estimates.

In November, the government outlined its plans to tackle obesity.

We should manipulate what we like to chose to eat and try to make that more healthy Dr Gary Frost

A big emphasis is being placed on educating and encouraging children and adults to cut down on fatty, sugary and salty foods and take more exercise.

The food industry has been charged with making sure processed foods are clearly labelled to indicate fat, sugar and salt content for shoppers, which should come into effect this summer.

But Dr Frost believes people will continue to pick unhealthy options and that we are "staring down the barrel of gun" in terms of obesity.

He said it was impossible to turn back the clock to a time when processed foods were not available and people had to prepare meals from scratch using raw ingredients that were rationed.

Instead, new technologies should be used to make processed foods healthy rather than forbidden sins.

Foods of the future

He said many 'healthier option' products were already available, such as breads that have been manipulated to have a low glycaemic index so they have less of an effect on blood sugar levels.

Starchy food typically has a high glycaemic index and raises blood sugar significantly.

Richard Faulks, senior scientist at the Institute of Food Research, said they were looking at ways to make fatty foods less fatty while retaining the same taste and texture in the mouth.

Keeping the fat on the surface of food but replacing the fat that was inside with water might be one way of doing this, he said.

It's important to eat a variety of foods to make sure you get all the nutrients you need A spokeswoman from the Food Standards Agency

Scientists are also looking to make foods that fill you up quicker and suppress appetite, said Dr Frost.

He said more should be done to encourage these innovations.

"Banging on about unrealistic goals is not really an option because 10 or 15 years of sensible healthy eating policy has made very, very little difference.

"We should manipulate what we like to chose to eat and try to make that more healthy.

"Unless we come up with clever ways to manipulate what we like to eat at the present time, we will see the rates of obesity continue to climb."

A spokeswoman from the Department of Health said they had already made it clear that they want to help people make healthier choices.

"We are taking action to increase availability of healthier food, including levels of salt, added sugars, and fat in prepared and processed food and increasing access to fruit and vegetables."

She said the plans for food labelling would also help people choose the healthier foods.

The Foods Standards Agency said people should be eating more starchy foods, fruit and vegetables, some protein-rich food and less salt, sugar and fat.

"Also, it's important to eat a variety of foods to make sure you get all the nutrients you need," said a spokeswoman.