Rishi Sunak dismisses idea not to share cakes at work for sake of others' health
Rishi Sunak has dismissed a top food expert’s suggestion that people should not bring cake into the office for the sake of their colleagues' health.
The Prime Minister believes in "personal choice" and that people should be allowed to share treats with their colleagues, Downing Street said.
No 10 even gave out mini-cupcakes to reporters in Parliament to show Mr Sunak’s commitment to indulging in sweet treats at work.
Professor Susan Jebb, chairwoman of Britain’s food watchdog the Food Standards Agency, suggested bringing cake into the office inflicted harm on others like secondhand smoking.
Asked whether Mr Sunak agrees, his official spokesman said: "No. The Prime Minister believes that personal choice should be baked into our approach.
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The Prime Minister said he is investing in tackling obesity (Getty Images)"We want to encourage healthy lifestyles and are taking action to tackle obesity, which has cost the NHS £6billion annually.
"However, the way to deal with this issue is not to stop people from occasionally bringing in treats for their co-workers."
Mr Sunak's press secretary added that he is "very partial to a piece of cake" and enjoys carrot and red velvet cake.
Professor Jebb, who specialises in diet and population health at the University of Oxford, said that while it is a choice to eat sweet treats, people can help each other by providing a "supportive environment".
She said it was not enough to rely on the “extraordinary efforts” of personal willpower to avoid overeating in a society that is constantly providing people with food.
Professor Jebb, who was not speaking on behalf of the FSA, told the Times: “We all like to think we’re rational, intelligent, educated people who make informed choices the whole time and we undervalue the impact of the environment.
“If nobody brought in cakes into the office, I would not eat cakes in the day, but because people do bring cakes in, I eat them. Now, OK, I have made a choice, but people were making a choice to go into a smoky pub.”
She argued: “With smoking, after a very long time, we have got to a place where we understand that individuals have to make some effort but that we can make their efforts more successful by having a supportive environment. But we still don’t feel like that about food.”
Leaders of 70 health organisations warned the Government against ditching key anti-obesity measures last year.
Liz Truss was due to oppose measures designed to tackle obesity, including banning Buy One Get One Free (Bogof) offers, as she thought they were a “nanny state” interference.
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Health Secretary Steve Barclay is yet to confirm whether to go ahead with the Bogof ban which is due in October. Labour has said it should not go ahead during a cost of living crisis.
Professor Jebb insisted restrictions were “not about the nanny state”.
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