Department of Health takes charge of nutrition policy

The Department of Health (DH) has taken over responsibility for UK nutrition policy as part of a move to promote healthier eating and improved wellbeing.

As of October 1st 2010, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is transferring functions such as nutritional labelling, eating advice, food-related surveys and work with manufacturers to the DH, a move which will see 85 posts being transitioned across.

According to the government, this decision will allow nutritional policy to be formulated more clearly, with the DH seeking to dispense evidence-based eating advice.

Health secretary Andrew Lansley praised the FSA for its work in facilitating this transfer, stating that it will maintain its "essential and robust" role in charge of food safety.

He added: "The transfer of nutrition policy in England into the Department of Health means we can give the general public more consistent information."

This comes at a time when obesity in Britain is on the rise, with Foresight report figures suggesting that nearly half of men and more than a third of women will be obese by 2025.