§ Mr. Coombsasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the actions taken by his Department since the publication of the COMA report designed to assist in the prevention of coronary heart disease.
§ Mr. FreemanThe Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy (COMA) has made certain recommendations regarding the relationship between diet and coronary heart disease. These recommendations are concerned primarily with dietary fat intake. The question of dietary content within HM Forces is under constant review within my Department, and the COMA report provides a valuable reference document.
In 1981, the Services nutrition advisory panel (SNAP) re-affirmed an earlier decision that fat should not exceed 33 per cent. of the daily energy requirement, and in this respect the Ministry of Defence had already adopted the principle recommendation of COMA. More recently, my Department has decided to discontinue the provision of loose salt packs in operational ration packs and within the next year, a new type of margarine, high in polyunsaturates and low in cholesterol, will be supplied to HM Forces.
Unit catering and medical officers regularly give briefings on healthy eating, and every encouragement is given to the service man to improve his diet.