Goverment-backed scheme could see GPs 'prescribe' fruit and vegetables to patients with poor diets

A trial scheme being recommended by the Government which would see GPs 'prescribing' fruit and veg has had mixed reviews from West Country health specialists.

The proposal would see GPs assign those on poor diets with vouchers to spend on fruit and veg.

One practitioner in Bristol says they can see how it might work, but insisted it should be part of a bigger initiative to encourage healthy eating. 

Dr Marion Steiner, a GP from Southmead, said: "Really unhealthy food which is highly processed is cheap, and good-quality fresh food is much more expensive.

"I think people are a bit worried about how they handle fresh food because they've grown up with things in packets and so it's really understandable that there's a problem there and that we need to tackle that.

"I don't think it'll work if we just subsidise fresh food, although I think that's part of it."

The man behind the recommendations said it is part of a bigger picture to reset our overall relationship with food.

Henry Dimbleby, author of The National Food Strategy, said: "If you take people who are struggling with their diet who are struggling financially, you allow them access to free fruit and veggies, you give them cooking lessons, you teach them how to eat well.

"It's been proven in two places in the States to save money in the end by reducing the money on the drugs that you're funding to pay for the diabetes and other diet-related illnesses that they're contracting.

"Lifelong eating habits are often developed and fixed by childhood experiences."

One summer holiday cooking club in Bristol encourages children to try fresh, natural ingredients rather than processed ones, so they're more keen to tackle a plate of brightly-coloured fruit and veg. 

Jo Ingleby, Director of The Children's Kitchen, said: "Let's start with early years, and it needs to start with food education for families who are struggling to access fresh fruit and veg and who've got unhealthy diets because actually, there aren't enough cookery teachers so we need to be training teachers to be able to do this as well."

Some of those with experience of tackling poor diets in deprived communities are welcoming some National Food Strategy recommendations, if it means they can bring about widespread and long-lasting change.

Feeding Bristol was founded in 2017 with the goal of eradicating hunger in the city.

The charity has split up its vision into four main priorities - improving the provision for those with immediate need, increasing the local community’s food skills, increasing the food supply of good quality produce, and working towards creating long-term policy change.

Speaking about the proposal, Ped Asgarian from Feeding Bristol said: "It's got very brave, very bold suggestions. And a lot of it and how it works is going to be in the delivery and the implementation is all going to be looked at in a holistic way.

"There's many different areas that are all going to feed into each other, be it through giving people more access to food.

"We have many parts of the UK they're suffering from being in food deserts or food swamps where they've got a lot of unhealthy food around them and no healthy options. But at the same time, they need to be having the skills to be able to cook to engage with with food education, both both for children but actually also through to adults as well."

It remains to be seen if they government will choose to follow these plans.

Doing so would be a big commitment, as tackling diet inequality requires a long term shift in our food culture.