Food hygiene ratings in Barking and Dagenham

The council in Barking and Dagenham has been on a mission to change the dietary habits of its residents. A recent study from the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) at Cambridge University showed that takeaways make up a third of all food outlets in the borough. Fast food outlets are high in caloric content, and crowd out local grocers. By restricting takeaways, the council could improve its health metrics. While the number of fast food outlets has declined in recent years, it has also risen by seven per cent in the past three years.

A new council strategy has launched a campaign to promote healthy eating. The campaign has been successful in reducing fast food intake in many areas, but restricting the number of fast food outlets in the area hasn't necessarily led to healthier food choices. Many areas of the borough have low-quality food options. In order to counter this, the council has commissioned a mobile grocer to sell cheap fruit and vegetables to residents in areas of the borough that suffer from a "food desert."

While the campaign has been successful in reducing obesity and limiting the number of takeaways, councillor Maureen Warby, cabinet member for care and health, has found it difficult to gain leverage over the menus of existing takeaways. Public health officials have tried to persuade owners to change their menus by using healthier ingredients, grilling instead of frying, and reducing salt levels. However, the council's evaluation of the campaign found that it was "resource intensive" to achieve these results.