New Defra Ministers Urged To Back Plant-Based as Dozens of Organisations Call for Action

Date: 09 September 2025 

Public backs action as 48 organisations join forces to propose policies to promote plant-rich diets in government’s food strategy.  

A policy paper has been published today that proposes ten policy measures the government can enact to increase production and consumption of plant-rich diets in the UK, in order to meet the goals outlined in the Good Food Cycle food strategy published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in July 2025.

The call comes as the recent National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) revealed that just 9% of children and 17% of adults meet the ‘five-a-day’ recommendation for fruit and vegetables. [1]

The 10-Point Plan has been endorsed by leading organisations and businesses from the food, farming, health, sustainability and animal welfare sectors, including the Food Foundation, the British Growers Association, Doctors’ Association UK, UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, Oatly and Compassion in World Farming.

The plan has been submitted to new Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds, and Defra Minister, Dame Angela Eagle, today.

“The government has highlighted the need to break the cycle of intensive animal agriculture in the UK, and produce a genuine Good Food Cycle,” says Liam Lysaght, Campaigns Officer at Foodrise.  “This paper shows widespread agreement from health, environment, and food professionals that we can achieve those goals with practical, integrated, policies to promote more plant-rich diets. It’s a perfect ‘cheat sheet’ for the new ministers at Defra.”

69% of respondents in a poll conducted by the organisations behind the plan said that the government should do more to help people eat fruit, vegetables and other plant-based foods. [2]

“The evidence is unequivocal that people in the UK are not eating enough plant-based foods – in particular, vegetables, pulses, legumes, fruit, nuts, seeds and wholegrains – and that public health will improve if we can secure a transition towards more plant-rich diets. That dietary transition can reduce the burden of disease and ease pressure on the NHS. The government has everything to gain by taking action,” says Dr Matthew Lee, Sustainability Lead from Doctors Association UK.

The plan also calls for more government support for the horticulture sector in order to improve food security and economic growth, more encouragement for food supply companies to focus on sales of plant-rich products and to make it easier and more affordable for people to access and eat healthy food.

“Only 53% of vegetables and 16% of fruit are home grown. The right support from the government could transform our horticulture sector from one where growers struggle to make a profit into a vibrant contributor to our rural economy and food security,” [3] says John Walgate, CEO of the British Growers Association.

70% of respondents in the poll agreed that the government should support animal farmers to transition to more sustainable practices, such as rewilding or plant-based crop production.

Plant-based foods can also help meet the government’s environmental goals. A 2023 study published in Nature Food concluded that “plant-based diets produce 75 percent less heat-trapping gas, generate 75 percent less water pollution and use 75 percent less land than meat-rich diets”. [4]

Caroline Reid, Sustainability Director at Oatly says: ‘If the government is committed to a food system that promotes health, supports farmer livelihoods, reduces climate emissions and ensures nature thrives, it needs to ensure support and a level playing field for the companies and products that make the transition to plant-rich diets easy. Plant-based products not only contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, they also contribute to the public eating more fibre-rich, nutrient dense foods that come with a variety of health benefits including the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. It should be a no-brainer.” [5]

The Danish Government has already implemented a national action plan to promote plant-based foods and is seeking to use its current presidency of the Council of the European Union to introduce one across the EU. [6]

“Most importantly, our new polling shows that the vast majority of the public would like a healthier and more sustainable diet, they just need the government to set up the right conditions. With changes to procurement rules, supportive subsidy changes for farmers and a much-needed update to the Eatwell Guide, the government can use existing levers to meet its goals for the Food Strategy. In fact, it’s quite hard to see how they could ensure a resilient and sustainable food supply without doing so,” adds Liam Lysaght of Foodrise.

“We need to see the government commit to a change from the status quo and embrace these policies, to avoid the mistakes of the previous government’s Food Strategy.”

The paper is available at https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Joint-Position-Paper-Reaping-the-Benefits-of-Plant-rich-Diets-PBHP-Foodrise-TVS-et-al.pdf 

Media enquiries: Damian Watson, Tel: 0121 728 5832, email: damian.watson@vegansociety.com

Notes for editors

The Ten Points are:

1. Leverage public procurement and catering to source and provide more plant-based foods, normalising plant-rich diets and catalysing growth in the market.
2. Encourage food supply companies to transition towards a higher proportion of sales of plant-based foods.
3. Bolster food security and economic growth through support for the horticulture sector to produce more fruit, vegetables, nuts, beans and pulses in the UK.
4. Support British farmers to increase production and provision of plant proteins for human consumption in the UK.
5. Make it easier and more affordable for people to access and eat healthy food.
6. Raise public understanding of the health and environmental benefits of healthy plant-rich foods and diets.
7. Improve labelling to raise public understanding of health, environmental and animal welfare impacts.
8. Improve training for health and food professionals in regard to healthy plant-rich foods.
9. Update, reform and apply the Eatwell Guide dietary guidelines.
10. Increase investment in and support for healthy, sustainable alternative proteins.

References

[1] National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2021-2023,June 2025 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey-2019-to-2023/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey-2019-to-2023-report

[2] Survation survey of 1,091 UK adults, conducted 29-30 May 2025. Data were weighted to the profile of all adults in the UK aged 18+. Full results available on request.

[3] Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2024, Horticulture statistics https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/latest-horticulture-statistics/horticulture-statistics-2023

[4] Scarborough, P., Clark, M., Cobiac, L. et al. “Vegans, vegetarians, fish-eaters and meat-eaters in the UK show discrepant environmental impacts.” Nat Food 4, 565–574 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-023-00795-w https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-023-00795-w

[5] Springmann, M., Wiebe, K., Mason-D’Croz, D., Sulser, T. B., Rayner, M., & Scarborough, P. (2018). Health and nutritional aspects of sustainable diet strategies and their association with environmental impacts: A global modelling analysis with country-level detail. The Lancet Planetary Health, 2(10), e451–e461. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(18)30206-7.

[6] Government of Denmark, 2023, Action Plan on Plant-based Foods https://en.fvm.dk/news-and-contact/focus-on/action-plan-on-plant-based-foods ; Programme of the Danish Presidency https://danish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/programme-for-the-danish-eu-presidency/programme-of-the-danish-eu-presidency/

Plant-Based Health Professionals UK Launches Free Comprehensive Guide on Binge Eating Disorder During Eating Disorders Awareness Week

24th February 2025. London, UK: Plant-Based Health Professionals UK has today released an extensive, evidence-based factsheet on Binge Eating Disorder (BED), providing healthcare professionals and the public with crucial information about the most common yet often misunderstood eating disorder.

The release of this free resource coincides with Eating Disorders Awareness Week (24th February – 2nd March 2025) and addresses a significant healthcare need, as BED affects approximately 1 in 50 people in the UK – making it more prevalent than anorexia and bulimia combined. BEAT UK estimates that at least 1.25 million people in the UK are living with an eating disorder.

Developed by Registered Dietitian Michael Metoudi, who specialises in eating disorders, the comprehensive guide combines clinical expertise with practical, actionable advice for both healthcare providers and individuals affected by BED. The factsheet is grounded in current research, featuring citations from 45 peer-reviewed studies.

Key features of the fact sheet include:

• Detailed clinical information about BED, highlighting the main risk factors and health implications associated with BED, including increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes
• Evidence-based insights on the relationship between plant-based diets and eating disorder recovery
• Practical meal planning guides with protein-rich, plant-based options
• A validated hunger-fullness scale tool
• Ten evidence-based strategies for managing BED while following a plant-based diet
• Common myths and misconceptions about BED

“This resource fills a crucial gap in eating disorder education and support” says Michael Metoudi, RD. “There are several harmful myths around binge eating disorder that need to be addressed. We’ve created a thorough yet accessible guide that combines clinical expertise with practical nutrition strategies for recovery, focusing on a plant-based approach. While there is no definitive link between BED and plant-based diets, research suggests that well-planned plant-based eating patterns can support recovery when implemented appropriately with professional guidance including psychological support.”

Healthcare professionals can access this free resource to:

• Educate patients about BED
• Support safe transitions to plant-based diets, ensuring nutrient needs are met
• Guide evidence-based meal planning
• Implement comprehensive recovery strategies

For more information about this free factsheet or Plant-Based Health Professionals UK’s other free resources, visit their website at plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com or for more information, contact:

Rohini Bajekal
Communications Lead, Plant-Based Health Professionals UK
rohini@pbhp.uk

About Plant-Based Health Professionals UK

Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK) advances health through whole food plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine, empowering healthcare professionals and communities to prevent, manage and treat chronic disease alongside promoting planetary health.

Study Reveals UK Hospital Menus Fall Short on Sustainable Food Options Despite Climate Goals

3rd February 2025. London, UK: A groundbreaking study examining NHS hospital menus has found that despite national recommendations to shift towards more sustainable, plant-forward diets, UK hospitals are showing limited progress in offering environmentally-friendly meal options.

The research, conducted by Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK), analysed hospital Green plans and inpatient menus from 36 NHS hospitals across the UK. Researchers assessed the commitment to sustainable catering by developing a novel scoring system to assess the availability of plant-based meals and of ruminant-meat based meals (such as beef and lamb), the latter of which are known to have a high environmental impact.

The analysis of hospital Green Plans showed minimal commitment to increasing plant-based options. The menus performed poorly, scoring an average of just 20 out of 100 points. This suggests hospitals have considerable work ahead to align their food services with climate goals.

Key findings include:

• Less than half of NHS Trusts included plans to increase plant-based options in their sustainability strategies
• All analysed hospital menus contained processed meat, despite its classification as a Group 1 carcinogen
• 42% and 50% offered no fully plant-based mains on their menus for dinner and lunch, respectively.
• Every hospital menu included ruminant meat (beef/lamb/goat) on their lunch menus
• Hospitals with outsourced catering scored higher on sustainability measures than those with in-house catering
• Most hospitals made limited use of techniques to encourage sustainable food choices

“Despite the NHS’s commitment to becoming a net-zero healthcare service by 2045, our analysis reveals that hospital menus currently show little alignment with sustainable practices,” says Isabelle Sadler, Lead Study Author. “With the NHS serving 140 million patient meals annually, there’s significant untapped potential to reduce environmental impact through menu changes.”

The study provides a practical framework for hospitals to monitor and improve their sustainable food offerings, offering specific recommendations including reducing ruminant meat options, incorporating more plant-based proteins, and removing processed meat from menus.

The survey also revealed an interesting paradox: while hospitals continue serving processed meats in the name of patient choice, the patients themselves say they would be open to removing these items from menus for health reasons. A large-scale consumer survey of 2000 UK citizens conducted by PBHP UK in 2024 showed that the public are keen to see healthier, sustainable hospital menus with over a third open to fully plant-based menus.

PBHP UK is now working to normalise and prioritise plant-based meals in healthcare settings through their national initiative Plants First Healthcare, which has been endorsed by 24 health and climate organisations.

Read the full study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics here. For more information, please contact:

Rohini Bajekal
Communications Lead, Plant-Based Health Professionals UK
rohini@pbhp.uk

About Plant-Based Health Professionals UK

Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK) advances health through whole food plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine, empowering healthcare professionals and communities to prevent, manage and treat chronic disease alongside promoting planetary health.

10 January 2025

Govt urged to stop multi-million pound campaign promoting meat and dairy

Dale Vince OBE, Chris Packham, Greenpeace, Plant-Based Health Professionals UK and more join forces to call for action.

The group is calling on the Government to stop a campaign promoting meat and dairy being run by a government-sponsored agency this January. New research shows 70% of the UK population does not know the official recommendations on limiting meat consumption.

A letter signed by more than 40 environmental, health, dietary and animal protection organisations and campaigners has been sent to the Government today, [1] calling for an end to the “Let’s Eat Balanced” meat marketing campaign by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). [2] Instead, the Government should be investing in and promoting the consumption of fruit, veg and healthy plant-based foods.

The letter reveals new research which has found that only 29% of respondents in a representative nationwide poll could correctly identify the daily limit of 70g of red and processed meat recommended in official dietary guidance, the Eatwell Guide. Of those who said they understood the guidance, only 35% correctly identified the 70g limit. [3,4]

Campaigners note that an estimated 38,500 deaths were associated with excessive meat consumption in the UK in 2021, [5] while the government’s official advisory body on Net Zero, the Climate Change Committee, has called for a 20% cut in meat and dairy consumption in the UK by 2030 and identified the AHDB campaign as inconsistent with those goals. [6]

Environmentalist Dale Vince, who has signed the letter, said:

“This new research shows clearly that most people don’t understand the dangers of eating meat. So, it seems pretty crazy for a government-sponsored body to be promoting meat and dairy when actually the country needs to be informed of the risks and encouraged to eat plant based foods instead. This is a serious breach of the government’s responsibility to give proper health advice when it comes to food – rather than allowing an official agency to advertise foods that we urgently need to reduce consumption of, for the health of people and planet.”  

“Our new government should step into the information gap on food, health and sustainability, and tell the people of Britain what the science says about our food choices.”

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is an arms-length, government-sponsored body of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which signed off its multi-million pound “Let’s Eat Balanced” promotional campaign. Television and social media advertisements forming part of the campaign previously have not made reference to the recommendations on limiting meat consumption. [7]

Chris Packham (available for interview) said:

“The AHDB has become little more than an advertising company for the meat and dairy industry – despite retaining the word ‘horticulture’ in its name. The government should be supporting the farmers who are growing the nutritious pulses, fruits and veg that we should all be eating more of, instead of ignoring the expert scientific advice that says if we want to cut emissions we need less meat on our plates. 

“Countries such as Denmark already have strategies to help people to eat more of these foods. Why don’t we?” [8]

Dr Shireen Kassam, an NHS consultant and director of Plant-Based Health Professionals said:

“Neither red meat nor dairy provide essential nutrients. It is abundantly clear from decades of research that getting protein from plant sources is better for health resulting in a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and dementia. The government has announced it intends to develop a food strategy this year. That strategy must embrace the science and promote plant-based diets.”  [9]

Other letter signatories include Caroline Lucas, Dr Amir Khan, the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, Compassion in World Farming and Professor Hugh Montgomery, Co-chair of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change.

Full text of the letter is available at https://feedbackglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AHDB-Jan-2025.pdf

-ends-

Contact
Sarah Bentley, Plant-Based Health Professionals UK. E: Sarah@pbhp.uk; T: 07966 796 074.

Over 1,200 health professionals and 24 health organisations call for NHS to provide plant-based menus in UK hospitals – following success in New York

New campaign ‘Plants First Healthcare’ highlights the health, cost saving and environmental benefits to the NHS, improving on existing menu offerings

London, UK, October 16th: On World Food Day, a new campaign, Plants First Healthcare – led by senior NHS doctors – is calling for hospitals to take action for human and planetary health by adopting a ‘plant-based by default’ approach. This campaign is supported by 24 healthcare organisations representing more than 1 million members. An open letter to support the campaign addressed to every NHS Trust and healthcare leader has been signed by the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, the British Dietetic Association (BDA) Sustainable Diets Group, the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, Nuffield Health among many others. The campaign launches alongside the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change (UKHACC) Food Systems Policy Report, which calls for the normalisation of plant-based meals within all healthcare settings.

The open letter has already gained over 1,000 signatures from a range of healthcare professionals. Amongst these are high profile doctors including Professor Tim Spector, Dame Parveen Kumar and Dr Fiona Godlee, former editor of the BMJ. This is in addition to prominent voices in climate activism such as George Monbiot and Chris Packham.

Plants First Healthcare highlights that normalising plant-based meals in hospitals could save the NHS £74 million annually, while providing healthy meals for patients and helping NHS Trusts to cut their food-related emissions by up to 50%. The scheme would make plant-based meals the default, while giving patients and staff the choice to opt into meat and dairy options. New York City, in collaboration with Greener by Default, has successfully implemented a similar campaign, and has served over 1.2 million plant-based meals since March 2022. This has lead to a 36% reduction in carbon emission, a cost saving of 59 cents per meal and a more than 90% satisfaction rate. The Plants First Healthcare campaign team is now working directly with Greener by Default, who offer their services for free to healthcare institutions, to help them implement a ‘plants first default’ approach to hospital menus within the UK.

There is now overwhelming evidence that shifting towards a plant-predominant food system would significantly improve national health outcomes, address health inequalities and is essential for meeting our climate and nature targets. The proposed changes would help get the NHS on track to achieve its pledge of net-zero emissions by 2045. Plants First Healthcare also aligns with the priorities of Lord Darzi’s recent report on the state of the NHS in England  – specifically a ‘Greener NHS’ and the focus on ‘the power of prevention’ which has been a long-term NHS policy intention.

Dr Shireen Kassam, Campaign co-lead and Consultant Haematologist at King’s College London says, “We have a long way to go to transform both staff and patient meals in hospitals. When staff and patients are made aware of the health and climate benefits of plant-based meals, they are supportive of incorporating more lower carbon, health promoting foods. The aim is to advance this transformation with Plants First Healthcare.”

“According to the 2023 Lancet Countdown report, 70,000 deaths in the UK in 2020 were associated with insufficient intake of nutritious plant-based foods (such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds). Hence showcasing the benefits of a plant-based diet within healthcare settings should be part of educational efforts to change dietary habits of the UK public. This would not only provide immediate cost savings to the NHS, but also give longer term healthcare benefits for patients, while drastically cutting carbon emissions.”

Plant-based hospital meals would include cost-saving ingredients such as pulses and whole grains. New York menus have incorporated these in dishes such as Moroccan Root Vegetable Tagine with Tricolor Couscous, Fiesta Black Bean Burger, and Spanish Vegetable Paella.

Hospitals are slowly moving to decarbonise their menus –  6% of the NHS carbon footprint is related to food. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals Trust, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, Hampshire Hospitals and Great Ormond Street Hospital  have all signed the Cool Food Pledge which commits them to reduce their food emissions by 25% by 2030. Several other hospital trusts such as Leicestershire and Rutland have committed to a ‘low carbon menu,’ and others such as Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust and Queen Victoria Hospital are reducing reliance on high carbon foods such as beef and lamb. However, the pace of change is far too slow. A recent survey* of 2000 members of the public showed that 55 per cent believe changes need to be made regarding the meals provided in NHS hospitals and more than a third of respondents were supportive of plant forward menus.

Tanya Haffner, Registered Dietitian and Chair of the BDA Sustainable Diets Group says, “A plant-based diet has numerous benefits for human health, including significant reductions in the risk of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, overweight and obesity, diabetes, and certain cancers. The evidence is overwhelming. Most national guidelines already include plant-based diets as part of the prevention and treatment for these illnesses. Furthermore, plant-based diets have considerable benefits for planetary health. We need to move the dial on eating more plants at speed. As health professionals, it’s our duty to promote healthy eating and advocate for sustainable food systems to support both human health and a thriving, biodiverse planet. The BDA Sustainable Diets Group is very pleased to support this campaign.”

There are other campaigns across the public sector to transition catering towards plant-based meals. Existing successful campaigns include the following: Plant-Based Universities, where students across 80 universities are campaigning to increase plant-based offerings to reduce universities contribution to climate change, ProVeg Schools Plates programme, calling for more plant-based options on school menus, and the Plant Based Treaty, which has been signed by six UK councils (and 27 international cities), 120,000 individuals, five Nobel laureates, various IPCC scientists and more than 3000 organisations.

A full copy of the open letter is available here.

A report from the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, outlining recommendations to build an NHS and health sector fit for the future, is available here.

-ENDS-

 

Notes to editors:

*Survey of 2,000 respondents carried out by OnePoll in May 2024, which found:

• A third of Britons would back a switch to an entirely plant-based menu in NHS hospitals
• While 79 per cent have sympathy for the NHS in its current state, 55 per cent believe something needs to change when it comes to the meals served.
• Almost two thirds (64 per cent) of respondents said hospital meals being healthy was a top priority
• Four in 10 (41 per cent) would support plant-based milks and yoghurts being served in hospitals
• Almost one third (30 per cent) said processed meats such as ham and bacon shouldn’t be served to patients
• It also emerged that 32 per cent of respondents would be interested in trying an entirely plant-based diet themselves, with 31 per cent having decreased their meat intake in the last two years

About Plants First Healthcare

Plants First Healthcare is a campaign led by a coalition of NHS health professionals who are increasingly concerned about the impacts of the food system on climate change and biodiversity loss. We are committed to urgently taking action to minimise these harms through evidence-based strategies that will benefit individual, population and planetary health. The aim of the campaign is to normalise plant-based meals within healthcare settings by making plant-based food the default. This approach has already been successfully implemented in 11 city hospitals in New York City.

By making delicious, culturally appropriate plant-based options the default, NYC Health + Hospitals empowered more than half of all eligible patients to opt into the plant-based meals. They’ve now reduced their carbon footprint by 1/3 while maintaining very high patient satisfaction and saving approximately $500,000 annually.

We are now working with Greener By Default to bring their groundbreaking work to healthcare in the UK.

World Food Day 2024

World Food Day 2024 is on 16 October 2024. The theme for this year’s World Food Day is “Right to foods for a better life and a better future.”

‘Foods’ stands for diversity, nutrition, affordability, and safety. A greater diversity of nutritious foods should be available in our fields, in our markets, and on our tables, for the benefit of all. Find out more about the theme here.

Media Contact:

Caroline Burgess-Pike, Eden Green PR
caroline@edengreenpr.com, 07742766640

A third of Brits claim they would back a switch to an entirely plant-based menu in NHS hospitals

Health organisation calls for a ‘plant-based by default’ approach to hospital food – replicating a successful model in New York

London, UK, 27 June 2024: An independent survey of 2,000 respondents, commissioned by Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP), has revealed that a third of Brits claim they would back a switch to an entirely plant-based menu in NHS hospitals. PBHP says a move towards a ‘plant-based by default’ approach in hospitals could save the NHS £74 million annually, reduce the prevalence of several major diseases, and reduce the NHS’s carbon footprint by up to 50%.

The survey also found that while 79% of Brits have sympathy for the NHS in its current state, 55% believe something needs to change when it comes to the meals served in hospitals, with 40% of respondents saying meals served do not look appetising.

Just 11% of respondents thought meals served in NHS hospitals are healthy, but over half (53%) said it’s very important for hospitals to promote healthy lifestyles.  Almost a third of respondents (30%) thought meat-free meals would be better for the environment, with another third (30%) stating they would be healthier.

The survey results underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive change in the NHS’ approach to hospital food and its role in patient care across the UK. Dr Shireen Kassam, founder of Plant-Based Health Professionals UK and a Consultant Haematologist at King’s College Hospital London, is advocating for a plant-based by default approach to UK state healthcare to provide better health outcomes for patients, and to help the NHS achieve its Net Zero target by providing more sustainable food options.

Given the scientific data on the benefits of a plant-based diet in managing, preventing and reversing medical conditions, alongside the sustainability benefits, Plant-Based Health Professionals say they would expect that offering vegan meals would be high on the agenda for the NHS. In reality, persuading hospitals to remove animal products from the menu is still a challenge, and the UK is far behind New York, whose public hospitals serve plant-based meals as the default option. Greener by Default has also been working with Vancouver General Hospital to pilot a plant rich meals scheme, and The Hayek in Beirut, Lebanon, has been a fully plant-based hospital since March 2021.

Dr Shireen Kassam hopes that plant-based hospital menus will be adopted by the NHS in the UK. Dr Kassam states; “There is a lot of scepticism within the public healthcare industry, and they expect plant-based meals to be met with distaste. The survey results demonstrate that the general public would be positive about the switch to plant-based menus, with the majority stating that the NHS should support healthy eating.

“In New York, where hospitals offer plant-based by default menus, the approval rating from patients was 95%, when fewer than 1% of patients were vegetarian and vegan. There is certainly an appetite to see change. Everyone has a vision in their minds when they think of hospital food – and it is rarely positive, so it is certainly time the food had a refresh. Plant-based dishes not only offer health, financial and climate benefits, but they are more colourful and flavoursome, too.”

Other key findings from the survey include:

• Four in 10 (41%) would also support plant-based milks and yoghurts being served in hospitals instead of dairy.
• 30% agreed that processed meats such as ham and bacon shouldn’t be served to patients.
• 23% would be concerned the general public wouldn’t back plant-based menus being introduced to hospitals.
• 53% worried some patients would refuse to eat plant-based meals, and 35% unsure if they’d be as tasty as a meat-based option.
• 32% would be interested in trying an entirely plant-based diet themselves, with 31% having decreased their meat intake in the last two years.

Dr Shireen added: “By encouraging a higher consumption of plant-based foods, we can reduce the prevalence of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity and certain cancers.

“Aside from the health benefits, a typical plant-based meal uses less land, and has a 2.5 times lower impact on biodiversity than one containing meat.”

Dr Kassam concludes; “Our goal is to normalise plant-based meals, and make them the prime offering over animal products. It’s vital for both health and sustainability goals that beans and lentils, which are nutritious and delicious, are encouraged and prioritised. It isn’t about meeting requirements for vegans and vegetarians, but making hospital food healthier overall by promoting the numerous benefits of plant-based foods.”

-ENDS-

Dr Shireen Kassam states that if the everyone went vegan, the NHS ‘would save £30,000,000,000

Dr Shireen Kassam discusses how easy it would really be for the NHS to go vegan.

 

Notes to Editors:

The full data set is available.

This is a 2024 campaign, commissioned by Plant-Based Health Professionals UK, run by One Poll, asking 2000 respondents.

Dr Shireen Kassam is available for an interview. Case studies are available.

About Plant-Based Health Professionals UK

Plant-Based Health Professionals UK is a community interest company whose mission is to provide education and advocacy on whole food plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine for the prevention and treatment of chronic disease, as well as for supporting planetary health.

About Dr Shireen Kassam, MBBS, PhD, FRCPath, dipIBLM

Dr Shireen Kassam is a Consultant Haematologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer at King’s College Hospital, London with a specialist interest in the treatment of lymphoma. She is also a Visiting-Professor at University of Winchester, Hampshire, where she has developed and facilitates the UK’s first University-based course on plant-based nutrition. In 2023 she launched a course on lifestyle medicine for cancer.

Shireen is passionate about promoting plant-based nutrition for the prevention and reversal of chronic disease and for maintaining optimal health after treatment for cancer. In 2019 she became certified as a Lifestyle Medicine Physician and is also a CHIP facilitator.

Shireen founded Plant-Based Health Professionals UK in 2018, a non-profit, membership organisation whose mission is to provide evidence-based education on whole food plant-based nutrition.

Shireen qualified as a doctor in 2000. During her training, she completed a PhD, which investigated the role of selenium in sensitising cancer cells to chemotherapy. Shireen has published a number of peer-reviewed papers in the field of lymphoma. Her first book, Eating Plant-Based, Scientific Answers to Your Nutrition Questions, co-authored with her sister Zahra, was published in January 2022. She has also co-edited the textbook Plant-Based Nutrition in Clinical Practice, published in September 2022.

Health professionals across the NHS join forces to call out the misinformation campaign promoting meat and dairy by the AHDB and DEFRA

Open letter is backed by organisations representing more than one million healthcare professionals across the UK

May 2024, London, UK: Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) and Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK) have joined forces to highlight serious concerns from the medical profession over the Government-backed ‘Let’s Eat Balanced campaign’, believing its promotion of meat and dairy to be “at odds with established scientific evidence on healthy and sustainable diets.” They are calling instead for a shift to a plant-based food system to benefit both public health and the environment.

Dr Matt Lee, DAUK’s sustainability lead, and Dr Shireen Kassam, Director of PBHP UK, have co-written an open letter to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to express their deep concerns at the high level of misinformation within the campaign, and asks for the campaign to be retracted. Organisations representing more than one million health professionals, including the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change have signed the letter.

The annual campaign, timed to coincide with the increasingly popular Veganuary campaign, is aimed at promoting the consumption of red meat and dairy to the UK public. This flies in the face of the scientific evidence and the Government’s own guidelines, which clearly demonstrate the need to shift away from animal farming and transition to a plant-based food system. This is required to meet our climate and nature targets, while having significant benefits for our health. The letter calls on the AHDB and DEFRA to instead encourage the increased production and consumption of locally-grown fruit, vegetables and legumes, while supporting people to eat significantly less meat and dairy.

The letter outlines the disproportionate impact of our current food system on climate change, including the threat to food security, antibiotic resistance and pandemic risk, while presenting the evidence supporting the benefits to individual and planetary health of  reducing red meat and dairy consumption. It also discusses the strong association between the consumption of processed meat and cancer risk, and the increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity from consumption of all forms of red meat. In addition, the authors cite a new analysis demonstrating the potential financial benefit to the NHS if people adopted a plant-based diet, estimated to be around £18.8 billion per year.

Dr Lee said: “This would be invaluable for the health of the environment, the UK public, and to safeguard all our futures. As clinicians, we have to act on the latest evidence, no matter how uncomfortable it can be.The evidence is clear. The UK must significantly reduce its meat and dairy consumption to ensure the health of the planet and a liveable future for all.” 

Dr Kassam said: “Dietary change is the single most impactful action we can take to improve the health of the planet. Luckily we don’t need to choose between a liveable planet and our health. A shift away from eating meat and dairy to a mostly or exclusively plant-based diet can be associated with significant health benefits, with studies showing their ability to add healthy years to life.”

DAUK and PBHP UK recognise that farmers are crucial to ensuring a healthy future and believe the Government and the AHDB must support farmers to reduce production of meat and dairy, while significantly increasing the production of plant foods. The organisations ask the AHDB and DEFRA to listen to the concerns of the organisations represented and work with them to implement policies and campaigns to support the future of the UK farming and transform it into one that protects both individual and planetary health.

Read the letter in full (Link).

– ENDS –

About PBHP UK

Plant-Based Health Professionals UK is a community interest company whose mission is to provide education and advocacy on whole food plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine for the prevention and treatment of chronic disease, as well as for supporting planetary health.

About DAUK

Doctors Association UK is a non-profit campaigning and lobbying organisation of volunteer doctors and medical students. Our collective voice aims to be at the heart of policy making for health, engaging with the media outlets whose opinions inform the public. We advocate for both the medical profession and patients, and we fight for a better NHS.

VegMed London 2023: Europe’s largest scientific conference on plant-based nutrition returns to the UK – the answer to all of your health questions.

June 2023, London; VegMed, Europe’s largest medical conference on plant-based nutrition will return this autumn for another exciting, inspiring and information-packed event.

The conference will take place from 9th -10th September 2023 at Imperial College in South Kensington, London. Early Bird tickets, available only until 14^th June, can be purchased here.

This is the first in-person VegMed conference since 2019 with leading scientists, researchers and health professionals coming together to share knowledge and exchange ideas around plant-based health and nutrition.

There will be brand new up-to-date research presented on the health status of vegans from the EPIC-Oxford study from Dr Tammy Tong, new study data on the microbiome and cancer from Dr Urvi Shah and the findings of the ‘Plants for Joints’ trial from Wendy Walrabenstein RD and Dr Carlijn Wagenaar.

VegMed has established itself as a global platform for promoting evidence-based approaches to health and wellness, focusing on the transformative power of plant-based diets and lifestyle changes.

With a brilliant line-up of speakers, interactive Q&A sessions and exclusive networking events, VegMed aims to inspire, educate, and empower individuals and communities of all ages and backgrounds to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. Attendees will also receive 12 hours CPD accreditation with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

What to expect?

The conference programme will feature a diverse range of topics and 20 minute talks and panels. These include meeting nutritional requirements at all ages and stages of life, including for the prevention and management of chronic conditions and for achieving optimal athletic performance. The impact of our food choices on the climate and ecological crisis as well as the crucial role of policy will be explored.

Panel discussions with live interactive audience Q&A will include the following topics:

• Nutrients of focus in a plant-based diet throughout the lifespan
• Type 2 diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• Autoimmune disease
• Women’s health
• Plant-based diets for children
• Nutrition for athletes
• Community and medical school education
• School and hospital catering
• Planetary health

Why should you attend?

VegMed is not only for medical professionals but also welcomes individuals who are curious about plant-based living and its potential benefits. Whether you are a researcher, a healthcare provider, an educator, or simply interested in leading a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle, VegMed offers a wide range of sessions that cater to different interests.

The conference will provide a platform for attendees to engage in meaningful discussions, network with like-minded professionals, and gain valuable insights from leading experts from all over the world, as well as discover new research, ideas and answers. VegMed offers a unique opportunity to expand your knowledge, challenge conventional wisdom, and contribute to the advancement of plant-based healthcare.

Dr Shireen Kassam, co-founder of VegMed and Founder and Director of Plant-Based Health Professionals UK remarks:

“VegMed London will bring together experts and curious minds to explore the benefits and potential of plant-based diets to transform our health. With presentations from keynote speakers who are experts in their fields, the weekend will be a must-attend event. It is widely accepted that some of the UK’s biggest diseases are preventable with diet and lifestyle, yet only a handful of hours are dedicated to nutritional education in any medical professional training here in the UK. We want everyone who attends to leave with a deeper understanding of the evidence around plant-based diets for human and planetary health. Come to VegMed and leave inspired to advocate for change in your own area of work.””

“Europe is lagging behind when it comes to plant-based health. $44 million investment has been made by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine to train 200,000 healthcare professionals in plant-based nutrition in New York. We need to be seeing this type of investment here. VegMed should be at the top of the list for policy makers, government officials, healthcare providers and the general public to attend and learn about the power of plants and their role in our future.”

Keynote speakers at VegMed 2023 include:

• Dr Shireen Kassam: Consultant Haematologist, Senior Lecturer at King’s College, and founder of Plant-Based Health Professionals
• Dr Dagfinn Aune: Associate Professor at Oslo New University College and postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Imperial College London
• Brenda Davis: Registered Dietitian, world leading plant-based pioneer, internationally acclaimed speaker and best-selling author
• Dr Tammy Tong: Senior Nutritional Epidemiologist at the University of Oxford. Tammy’s recent research focus has been on the health effects of vegetarian and vegan diets, including cardiovascular disease and bone health, using data from Epic-Oxford and the UK Biobank.
• Dr Gemma Newman: GP and best-selling author of ‘The Plant Power Doctor; a simple prescription for a healthier you.’

Your ticket includes:

• entry to the conference on both days with a choice of talks to attend alongside our headline speakers
  • opportunity to meet with the host organisations as well as select exhibitors and sponsors
  • delicious plant-based buffet lunch both days plus refreshments
  • networking with like-minded colleagues during the day
  • the option to book affordable on-site accommodation at the university, located in a prime area of Central London (cost of accommodation not included in ticket price)
  • access to recordings of all sessions post conference
  • 12 hours CPD accredited with BSLM
  • exclusive networking event for members on Saturday evening

VegMed London 2023 is a collaboration between Plant-Based Health Professionals UK and PAN International – Physicians Association for Nutrition, and is supported by ProVeg International, with the overarching theme of ‘Bringing Plant-Based Nutrition into Healthcare’.

Join us at VegMed 2023 and be part of the movement that is transforming healthcare, improving lives, and creating a brighter future for all.

For registration and further information about VegMed 2023, please visit the official conference website.

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Media Contact:

Hayley Knight
Account Manager
hayley@edengreenpr.com

 

About Plant-Based Health Professionals UK

Plant-Based Health Professionals UK is a community interest company. It provides education and advocacy on whole food plant-based nutrition for the prevention, management and treatment of chronic disease as well as for the benefits for planetary health.

 

About PAN International – Physicians Association for Nutrition

PAN International – Physicians Association for Nutrition is an international NGO on a mission to eliminate diet-related deaths globally. By making nutrition a core part of healthcare and by engaging health professionals in efforts towards healthy and sustainable food environments we are advancing the food transformation needed to mitigate the three largest global health crises: chronic disease, climate change and pandemic risk.

The Seaspiracy effect: 65,000 people ditch meat and fish for May – backed by Joanna Lumley

And 60 senior staff at King’s College Hospital London sign up for the challenge

7^th May 2021, London, UK: The annual No Meat May campaign kicked off this week with a record 65,000 sign-ups – a 91% increase on 2020 – with more than a third (34%) of those taking part citing the impact of overfishing as a key reason for them to try a meat and fish-free diet for 31 days. This is in part due to the awareness raised in recent documentary Seaspiracy, which outlines the damage industrial scale overfishing is causing to the environment and ocean ecosystems.

The 2020 No Meat May campaign received over 34,000 sign-ups, 23% of whom were concerned about overfishing – meaning awareness and concern for our oceans among participants has increased by 50% in 12 months. Consistent with last year, the majority (81%) of sign-ups to the 2021 campaign cited health as a key driver for them to take the 31-day meat-free challenge.

Taking part in this year’s challenge are 60 staff from King’s College Hospital, London, who were inspired to sign up for the No Meat May campaign as part of the hospital’s new sustainability strategy. Dr Shireen Kassam, a consultant haematologist at the hospital, was instrumental in encouraging members of staff to take part. Dr Kassam is also founder of Plant Based Health Professionals UK, an organisation of more than 600 health professionals who aim to promote the health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet based on wholefoods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, wholegrains and legumes.

Actress Joanna Lumley has given her support to the campaign, stating: “Why not give it a try? Day by day, go without meat, or cut down on how much you consume. Eventually we are all going to have to reduce our reliance on the world struggling to feed cereals to fatten animals to be eaten by rich countries, so why not start now. I am as fit as a very fit flea and I never eat meat or fish… so truly it will not harm your health. Try it. Please. Just for May.”

King’s College Hospital staff taking part in No Meat May include Chief Financial Officer Lorcan Woods, Chief Nurse Nicola Ranger, and Chief Digital Information Officer Beverley Bryant. They will be able to sign up to a series of helpful webinars throughout the month of May, organised by Plant Based Health Professionals UK in conjunction with King’s College Hospital, and including a Mexican food cook along with GP and Ready, Steady, Cook participant Dr Hayley Tait.

Members of the public who sign up to No Meat May will also receive a stream of plant-based recipes, cooking demonstrations and live feeds from a range of top chefs and dietitians (with a few celebrity cameos along the way). No Meat May aims to help those cooking at home to eat well and feed their families with healthy, affordable, meat-free meals.

A recent survey of 2,000 people commissioned by No Meat May in conjunction with OnePoll, found that two thirds of Brits (66%) would rather die early than give up meat, while one fifth (20%) also believe their health would decline as a result of going plant-based.

Dr Shireen Kassam comments: “Removing meat from the diet and replacing it with healthy plant foods is one of the best things you can do for your personal health. This includes lowering your risk of heart disease (the leading cause of death for men and women), type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and maintaining a healthy weight. There is even evidence to suggest that avoiding meat improves sexual function and sperm quality in men!

“In addition, adopting a vegan diet is one of the most impactful actions we can take as individuals to reduce our carbon footprint and play our part in addressing the climate and ecological crises. It’s actually never been easier. Supermarkets, restaurants and public catering all now include vegan options, and a varied, plant-based diet is anything but boring, rather it’s full of abundance and flavour.”

No Meat May urges consumers to pledge to give up meat for four key reasons: their health, the environment, for animals, and to ensure a more sustainable food system for all. Research has shown that a plant-based diet is the most significant way to reduce an individual’s carbon footprint, as well as the potential to improve their health. And with over 70 billion land animals farmed for food annually, everyone who opts to undertake the 31-day challenge will save, on average, the life of one animal per day during No Meat May (including land and sea animals). They will also reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by up to 73% if they exclude both meat and dairy.

Ryan Alexander, No Meat May’s co-founder, said: “Significant research over many years has shown that eating meat and other animal products is not only hugely damaging to the environment but can increase the risk of developing certain cancers, obesity and reduced life expectancy. The coronavirus pandemic has also served to highlight the link between our over consumption of animals and public health crises. Our survey has confirmed that many people are not aware of the impact of their food choices. It’s vital that the causes of these big issues are really brought to the attention of the public, so they can make fully informed choices about what they put on their plate.

“We’re delighted that King’s College Hospital has chosen to take part in the campaign as part of their new sustainability strategy. We hope that more health professionals and business leaders will be inspired by this move and seek to implement campaigns such as No Meat May in their own corporate responsibility programmes.

“Giving up meat might seem hard but it’s never been easier – there are so many brilliant plant based options out there, particularly in the UK. And when you join No Meat May, you get thousands of people from around the world cheering you on and sharing their veggie cooking discoveries. It’s a really fun journey and a fulfilling one – for your health, your soul and your taste buds.” 

The No Meat May effect tends to continue long after the month of May is over, with more than 90% of past participants going on to reduce their meat consumption and one third reporting a life changing experience.   

For more information or to sign up to No Meat May, visit nomeatmay.net or head to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

ENDS

 

For further information, images or interviews, contact:

Caroline Burgess-Pike, Eden Green PR

Tel: 07742766640

caroline@edengreenpr.com

 

Notes to editors:

 

HOW DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN NO MEAT MAY?

• Visit the No Meat May website and sign up 
• Challenge your friends and colleagues to join you and/or share your journey on social media
• Download recipes and nutritional advice from the site to get you inspired
• Take photos of what’s on your plate for the month, hashtag #NoMeatMay and tag others to get involved OR if you’re feeling fruity, take a #vegelfie selfie

 

About No Meat May:

No Meat May is a campaign and registered charity [ABN – 82 411 998 933] that challenges people to eliminate meat from their diets for 31 days, for four big reasons (health, environment, animals, and food security).

Launched in 2013 by Ryan Alexander & Guy James Whitworth, a couple of passionate creatives wanting to do some good – No Meat May started with 30 of their friends all giving up meat for the month of May.  Many of whom are now active contributors and part of the No Meat May team.  

With participation more than doubling year on year, No Meat May is now a global campaign experiencing exponential growth, with thousands of new recruits participating each year. Surveys of participants confirm that 94% of people reduce or eliminate meat permanently after completing the 31-day challenge.

We recognise that people change incrementally over time – and provide a safe stepping stone, evidence based information and support for that bold first step.