The Natural Source Waters Association (NSWA) launched its health manifesto: Flowing Forward: Tackling the Hydration Gap to Help Transform Health Outcomes in Parliament on Monday 30th June calling for a National Food and Drink Strategy to improve the hydration of the nation.
The NSWA warns that a lack of awareness of the importance of healthy hydration runs contrary to the UK’s fight against obesity and poor health outcomes. Despite being the healthiest choice that contains no sugar or calories, water is rarely prioritised in government campaigns or promoted as the healthiest choice of drink on retailers’ shelves.
The manifesto calls for hydration to be fully integrated into national health planning as the Government develops its 10-Year Plan for the NHS and new National Food Strategy. As Government restrictions on the promotion and placement of HFSS products develop, this creates opportunities for retailers to play their part by promoting healthier options in their place.
The manifesto puts forward a case for Government to take action on three key areas:
- Healthy hydration to be included in public health messaging and policy, including the National Food Strategy
- Positive incentives to support consumers to make healthier drink choices
- A nationwide awareness campaign to position hydration alongside nutrition in public consciousness
Kinvara Carey, General Manager at the Natural Source Waters Association, said: “Hydration remains largely absent from national dietary advice, and this needs to change. Today, we are urging the Government to recognise the vital role that drinks play in the nation’s health by renaming the National Food Strategy the National Food and Drink Strategy. Hydration is a missing piece of the preventative health puzzle. If we want to help ease the pressure on the NHS and improve long-term outcomes, the time to act is now.”
Simon Oldham, Managing Director, Highland Spring Group: “We believe embedding water into national health strategies is one of the levers which could help reduce obesity and associated illnesses. Together with other natural source water producers we are urging the Government to recognise the role water can play in supporting the health of this generation of consumers and the next.”