Danes are among the best to eat oatmeal, rye bread and whole grain buns.
A number of health NGOs, researchers, consumer organisations, companies and
members of the European Parliament has met in Brussels to discuss how to
establish a European Public Private Whole Grain Partnership with the
inspiration from the Danish Whole Grain Partnership established in 2008. The
European Cancer League and the Health Grain Forum are among the organisers of
the meeting, and they want to provide a platform for positive cooperation and
dialogue on how to find the way for a European Whole Grain Partnership.
“Despite strong evidence of the prevalence of whole
grains, for example in terms of cancer prevention, whole grain intake in Europe
is worryingly low. There is a common whole grain definition and an EU
recommendation of a daily whole grain intake to ensure good labeling of
products and helping consumers find whole grain products. Denmark is a pioneer
when it comes to increasing whole grain intake, and we are looking forward to
learning from Denmark so that we can improve public health in Europe,” says Dr.
Wendy Yared, Director of the European Cancer League.
In Denmark, whole grain intake has almost doubled over
a period of 10 years, and the Danes now eat 63 grams of whole grain a day on
average. The recommendation is 75 grams of whole grain a day.
“It is partly successful because the Danes have taken the advice of
eating more whole grains and partly because we are so many different actors
working together on the good cause and each contributing with our strengths,”
says Rikke Iben Neess, campaign leader from the Danish Whole Grain Partnership.
Among the contributions from the whole grain partners
is research, documentation, an official dietary advice, structural prevention
and a range of tasty whole grain labeled products to choose between with a high
whole grain content. The orange full grain logo, now found on 800 products, has
made it easy for Danes to find the whole grain products.
The Danish Whole Grain Partnership is a public-private
partnership that works to improve public health by making the Danes eat more
whole grains. The partnership consists of the Danish Cancer Society, the Danish
Heart Association, the Danish Diabetes Association, the Danish Veterinary and
Food Administration and a number of food and retail companies.
Source: http://foodnationdenmark.dk/news/denmark-is-a-european-frontrunner-when-it-comes-to-whole-grain-consumption/