Britons' taste for junk food is still among Europe's worst

The UK still has one of the worst diets in Europe despite decades of health warnings, damning research shows. ‘Successive governments have overwhelmingly failed to stop manufacturers lacing their food products with sugar, fat and salt – paving the way for two-thirds of the nation to be overweight or obese.’ Experts fear millions are still putting themselves at risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease by bingeing on ultra-processed food laden with sugar, fat and salt. The results, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, show that in Italy, where many people eat a healthy Mediterranean diet, ready meals, snack foods and fizzy drinks make up only about 13 per cent of each person’s daily calorie intake. The UK was worst, with ultra-processed foods making up almost 70 per cent of adolescents’ daily food intake, compared with 18 per cent in Colombia. In Italy, where many people eat a healthy Mediterranean diet, ready meals, snack foods and fizzy drinks make up only about 13 per cent of each person’s daily calorie intake In the UK, most people get almost 40 per cent of their daily energy intake from processed goods Poor diet and lifestyle have fuelled an obesity epidemic in the UK.