Waste Food Nation

A World Cancer Research Fund survey has found that people in the UK throw out somewhere between ten and fifty per cent of the fresh produce they bought in any one week. Statistics show that on average people throw out 194kg of organic waste per year – this is the equivalent to 2800 banana skins.

The most commonly cited reason for this was because it goes mouldy (63 per cent) or that people forget that it’s there (31 per cent).

The research was conducted as part of Cancer Prevention Week which aims to raise awareness about the importance of eating plenty of fruit and vegetables. Scientific evidence from the expert report Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a global perspective concluded that people who ate a diet rich in plant based foods can reduce their risk of cancer by up to 20 per cent. Coupled with exercise and maintaining their weight this protective factor was increased up to 40 per cent.

Eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables can also help to maintain a healthy weight. Other foods such as animal and saturated fat and alcohol are separately noted as increasing cancer risk and are also more likely to increase the likelihood of obesity. Being overweight or obese is, in itself, also a risk factor for cancer.

Karen Sadler, Head of WCRF says: “These are rather dismal findings. Not only in respect of the impact on people’s health but also on the environment. We really should make our health a priority and that means eating plenty of fruit and vegetables. What we eat really is integral to our health and the quality of our lives. Few people realise that what they eat today could have a huge impact on their risk of cancer in later life. Preventing disease is always going to be the best route to take and we need to encourage more people to follow it.”

The charity encourages people to start to make small changes to their diet. To ensure that food is not thrown away people can incorporate frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables as these all count towards the day’s portions. It is also helpful to plan menus ahead of going shopping.
The best way to add more fruit and vegetables is to existing meals – some chopped vegetables in your casseroles, curries or chillies, a salad with lunch or extra tomato and cucumber in your sandwich. Breakfast could include having a glass of juice and a banana or berries with your cereal.

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