REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP ON MONITORING SCOTTISH DIETARY TARGETS
Foreword
Although our life expectancy is increasing, we Scots still have the unenviable record of being amongst the unhealthiest nations in the western developed world. There are many reasons for this, but one of these is undoubtedly our diet. In recognition of this, in 1996 the Scottish Office published 'Eating for Health: A Diet Action Plan for Scotland', and this remains the framework for improving Scotland's diet. The burden of disease and premature death associated with a poor diet is increasingly being recognised, as is the potential to make significant improvements to our health and wellbeing through better nutrition.
Scotland's Diet Action Plan set out a range of dietary targets covering specific nutrients and various types of food which were intended for achievement by 2005. Subsequent to the Scottish Diet Action Plan, the publication of 'Improving Health in Scotland: The Challenge' (2003) committed the Scottish Executive to continue the further implementation of the Scottish Diet Action Plan well beyond 2005. This Report reflects the work of an Expert Group which set out to investigate ways of assessing what progress has been made towards the dietary targets to date, and to advise on what further surveillance is required beyond 2005. We have made a series of recommendations which identify robust monitoring and information gathering processes to measure Scotland's progress towards its national dietary targets as a vital component of health improvement in Scotland.
In preparing this report, we have been very fortunate to have available to us experts of national and international standing, and we all have good reason to be grateful to them for the considerable efforts expended in this endeavour.
Drew Walker
Director of Public Health, NHS Tayside
Chair of Working Group On Monitoring Scottish Dietary Targets
December 2004