British Nutrition Foundation

The British Nutrition Foundation is a British registered charity.[1][2]

British Nutrition Foundation
AbbreviationBNF
Formation1967
Legal statusRegistered charity
PurposeProvision of information on nutrition science
Location
  • New Derwent House, 69-73 Theobalds Road, London
Region served
UK
Director General
Prof Judith Buttriss
Main organ
BNF Council
Websitewww.nutrition.org.uk

Operations

The BNF works to promote the well-being of UK society. It does this by sharing scientific knowledge and advice on diet, physical activity and health.[3]

The organisation also works with nutrition scientists to conduct academic reviews of published research on issues of diet and public health.[4] They present their reports in the BNF's Nutrition Bulletin, as well as various Task Force reports, intended for both academic and lay dissemination.[4]

The BNF organises educational programs designed to provide accessible information on diet and health for children and young people, aged 3-16+ years.[5][6] The organisation runs an annual “Healthy Eating Week” each June.[7]

In 2023, the CEO is Elaine Hindal.[8]

Criticism

A 1985 World in Action documentary interviewed Derek Shrimpton, a previous director general at BNF, who said: "In the period I was there the foundation was solely taken up with defence actions for the industry." He also said that BNF worked to frustrate government committees working on policies to reduce sugar, salt, and fat consumption.[9]

Concerns have been raised about the BNF's relationship with the food industry.[9] The BNF receives funding from some food manufacturers and distributors in the UK.[9]

In 2005, UK politicians raised an Early Day Motion in Parliament concerning the BHF advising the government on food nutrition while receiving funds from the food industry.[10]

The British Medical Journal published an article in 2010 criticizing the way in which the BNF has been treated as a source of impartial nutritional information by the media, usually without describing the industry ties. It also criticized the UK government for paying the BNF to develop educational materials on nutrition, and quoted Tim Lobstein, a director at the International Association for the Study of Obesity-International Obesity Task Force (now the World Obesity Federation), saying that some BNF educational materials seem to support industry messages.[9] A newspaper article noted that funding members included Cadbury, Kellogg and McDonalds.[11]

Finances

In 2021-22, the charity had an income of £1.35million, with an expenditure of £1.33million.[12]

References
  1. "British Nutrition Foundation, registered charity no. 251681". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  2. "British Nutrition Foundation, Registered Charity no. SC040061". Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
  3. UK Government Charity Commission website, Retrieved 2023-6-12
  4. "Science Programme". British Nutrition Foundation. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  5. "Education Programme". British Nutrition Foundation. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  6. Official website
  7. Nursery World magazine
  8. Saxton Bampfylde website
  9. "Independence of nutritional information?". London: British Medical Journal. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  10. UK Government website
  11. The Independent Newspaper website
  12. UK Government Charity Commission website, Retrieved 2023-6-12
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