Half of the Britons Follow Specialized Diets

About 42% of Britons avoid certain ingredients in what they drink and eat due to dietary or health and wellness concerns.

Most of the people in Britain have become health conscious and almost half of the population have adopted “clean eating” diet, says a new report.

According to Nielsen's data, about 42% of Britons avoid certain ingredients in what they drink and eat due to dietary or health and wellness concerns.

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‘Nearly half of the population in the UK have eliminated certain ingredients from their diet in an attempt to prevent hypertension, diabetes and obesity. ’

About 49% avoid antibiotics or hormones used in animal products, 45% avoid artificial additives such as flavors, preservatives and sweeteners and 42% avoid sugar.

Thirty-five percent of the respondents to Nielsen survey reported they had avoided sodium, and 16% have shunned gluten. One-fifth of the Britons say that their choices were an attempt to stave off conditions such as obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes.

One in five households has someone who suffers from a food allergy or food intolerance. They avoid common ingredients such as grains (43%), egg (38%), dairy (36%) and gluten (30%). The sales of sugar declined by 8% a year and soup, which is high in sodium declined by 11%.

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Kawther Hashem, nutritionist at Action on Sugar, said, “Whilst it’s encouraging to see that an increasing number of adults are avoiding products filled with unnecessary amounts of sugar, salt and saturated fats, more still needs to be done to effectively reduce levels of obesity and type 2 diabetes in this country – which is now at crisis point.”

Mike Watkins, Nielsen's UK head of retailer and business insight, said, “People are adopting a more back-to-basics mindset, focusing on simple ingredients and fewer processed foods. They're also taking a more active role in their own healthcare, which includes better nutrition, itself a reflection of the rising trend in chronic disease rates.”

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“Finally, consumers are increasingly educated due to the internet providing access to more health information than could ever have been dreamed of in the past.”

There has been a rise in the sale of ‘Free From’ products in the recent years. The sales of ‘Free From’ products in the UK has risen by 19% over the last year to £754m. According to the report, these products will top £1billion within two years, putting it on a par with mineral water sales.

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Source-Medindia