Intervention 1
Spicy Salt
What is it?
An alternative to traditional salt. It is a mixture of salt
and other herbs and spices such as thyme, marjoram,
cloves and cayenne pepper.
Why?
The customer will be able to add a great tasting
seasoning to their food, but with less salt in it than
normal. Less salt will increase the healthiness of the
meal.
Intervention 2
Flagship Business
What is it?
A healthy alternative to the traditional takeaway shop
offering reasonably priced healthy food. The business
will provide similar benefits to other takeaway shops in
terms of convenience, value-for-money and a home
delivery option.
Why?
To offer greater choice to customers by providing a
new, alternative takeaway shop, rather than changing
the food in the established shops. Other nearby
established takeaways may also start to serve healthier
food to compete with the new business.
Intervention 3
People power/Consumer advocacy
What is it?
Local community health champions or community
groups will visit takeaways and ask about, and request,
healthy options.
Health champions using a simple traffic light system
(based on availability of fruit and vegetables, water,
etc) will score each takeway as green, amber or red.
Organising a way of disseminating the scoring of local
takeways (e.g. user generated ‘Healthy Food Finder’,
scores on the doors).
Why?
Takeaways operate in a very competitive business
environment. It is thought that takeaway owners are
more likely to make their food offerings healthier if
requests originate from their customers, in order to
stay one step ahead of their competitors.
Intervention 4
Portion control through packaging
What is it?
Reducing the portion size of a meal by serving the food
in a box. Traditionally fish and chip shops serve food in
paper/polystyrene; which is poor at regulating the
portion size resulting in excessively large portions,
which in turn provides excessive calories.
It is thought that controlling the size of the packaging
will reduce and regulate the size of the meal.
Why?
One of the main causes of obesity is consuming too
many calories. Related problems include heart disease,
type 2 diabetes, stroke and certain cancers. Takeaway
foods are notoriously high in calories, partly because of
the excessively large portions. There is potential
benefit to public health if portion size were reduced
and controlled.
Intervention 5
Health services intervention
What is it?
Detailed information provided to individuals receiving
weight loss treatment regarding how to identify
healthy/healthier options within takeaways and
restaurants. This would include a database of local
independent takeaways that are known to provide
healthier options.
Why?
The information provided will enable those who are
considering a healthier meal to choose healthier
options from existing menus. This approach targets
those who need and want help the most.
Intervention 6
Takeaway scoring
What is it?
A simple scoring system (e.g. traffic light system or
stars) that would rate OHFOs on their provision of
healthy food. The criteria would take the form of a
short check list (greatly reduced from what is currently
delivered as part of the numerous healthy eating
awards) that could be delivered by an EHO during an
inspection.
Why?
The customer will be able to easily identify those
businesses that are taking measures to make their food
healthier and provide healthier options. This will
enable those who maybe considering a healthier meal
to choose healthier options.
Intervention 7
Online portal
What is it?
An online portal that provides a form of
certification/indication of cuisine ‘healthiness’ (could
be an addition to an existing one e.g. Just-Eat,
TripAdvisor, bitappy). In its most basic form it might be
an identifiable seal of approval logo or more detailed
information as to specific healthy meals.
Why?
The customer will be able to easily identify those
businesses that are taking measures to make their food
healthier and provide healthier options. This will
enable those who maybe considering a healthier meal
to find and so choose healthier options.