Tougher rules for government nutrition advisers follow The BMJ investigation
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) advises the UK government on nutrition and public health.
Its members bring expertise from a range of disciplines, helping to shape national guidance, including the Eatwell Guide and NHS advice on salt and sugar intake, vitamin D supplements, and infant feeding. SACN’s influence on national dietary guidance makes the independence of its advice particularly important.
In September 2024, The BMJ published an investigation revealing that 11 of SACN’s 17 members had links to food companies including Nestlé, Tate and Lyle, and Unilever. The investigation’s findings raised questions about the independence of government nutrition advice. Experts interviewed by The BMJ, including Chris van Tulleken, called for a review of the committee’s membership.
The BMJ’s investigation was cited in the House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee’s October 2024 report, Recipe for health: a plan to fix our broken food system. The report examined concerns about potential conflicts of interest within SACN and industry influence on government nutrition advice, drawing on The BMJ’s findings as part of its consideration of the evidence.
“This issue was also the subject of an investigation, published in the British Medical Journal in September 2024, which highlighted many of the arguments put to us.”
The House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee
Stricter safeguards introduced
In July 2025, SACN introduced stricter rules on conflicts of interest. Under the revised policy, individuals with significant interests in the food, drink, diet or supplement industries are no longer eligible for appointment or reappointment to the committee.
Kat Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, welcomed the changes:
“If [The BMJ’s September 2024 investigation] has led to a change in a code of conduct, that’s probably the first big thing that has happened in many years in nutrition. It is a really big step forward.”*
Kat Jenner, executive director, Obesity Health Alliance
Scrutiny exposes continuing conflicts
The BMJ’s follow up investigation in 2026 found that significant industry interests remained despite the introduction of stricter rules, highlighting the need to ensure that the new safeguards are fully implemented.
The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that existing members would need to comply with the new policy within two years. In the meantime, members with significant interests would be excluded from relevant discussions.
“My first instinct is they have cleaned this up enormously. Your last investigation made a massive, significant and material difference to the composition of SACN.”
Chris van Tulleken, professor of infection, University College London (UCL), UK
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