Campaign gives tips on reducing fat

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

A new awareness campaign suggests tips which could save an estimated 3,500 lives by cutting the nation's consumption of saturated fat.

A hard-hitting television advert - shown for the first time last night - shows a sink getting clogged with fat and asks viewers to imagine what the fat they consume is doing to their own pipes.

Posters using food in a heart design will also suggest ways that people can reduce the amount of saturated fat in their diet.

The FSA said UK consumers are eating a fifth (20%) more saturated fat than the Government recommends. A diet high in saturated fat can increase cholesterol levels in the blood which raises the risk of cardiovascular disease, the most common cause of death in the UK.

Tim Smith, chief executive of the FSA, said: "What we really want is small changes in everybody's behaviour. It's important to find ways to cut down, not give up.

"We need to eat leaner meat and a bit less cheese, switch to lower fat milks and eat healthier snacks, cutting down on cakes and biscuits.

"I learned to cut down cheese by grating it or using stronger flavour and I have cut down to 1% milk rather than semi-skimmed."

Mr Smith said semi-skimmed milk - which is around 1.55% fat - has grown in popularity from only 5% of sales 20 years ago to 60% today but said people could trim their fat intake further by swapping to milk which is 1% fat.

The FSA's head of nutrition Rosemary Hignett said people are getting an average of 13.3% of their energy from saturated fat which should be cut to 11% if the UK is to cut deaths from heart disease, and added: "If we get it down to 11%, we would halt 3,500 premature deaths every year."