Residents urged to take part in county-wide food survey

Residents have been urged to take part in a county council's first food survey, as leaders hope to cut the amount of sugar and fat people consume.

Somerset Council has launched the research to build a picture of food habits ahead of planning new strategies to boost healthy eating.

Public Health England estimates that about 24.4 % (113,600) of adults in Somerset are obese.

Councillor Graham Oakes, the council's executive member for public health, said: "For some people it [the survey] might be a bit of an eye-opener about their lifestyle and that's a good thing."

Alison Kyle, a dietitian based in Taunton, said in reality, very few people achieve healthy eating guidelines.

"We still haven't gotten to the bottom of why people choose what they do to eat," she added.

"The amount of fat and sugar people eat has increased and is still increasing in the 30-odd years I've worked in nutrition."

Oakes said he has completed the council's 15-minute survey.

"I felt a couple of the questions, if I'd been asked in public, I'd have been embarrassed about but because it's anonymous, we need people to be honest," he added.

"If you go and see a GP and they ask you how much alcohol you drink, they take the figure and think you're underestimating it, lots of people do. It's how we view ourselves."

The survey will close on 31 January.

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