A police force has defended its canteen menu which boasts five different types of pie.
The menu came to light following an investigation by the Sunday People into ‘unhealthy’ food choices in police canteens at Humberside Police Force, which led to claims police officers were increasingly overweight.
It was also revealed that another police force serves battered sausages as a snack, whilst many others around the country offer chips every day.
Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, said: “As far as I am concerned, one type of pie is too many, let alone five.
“Pies are loaded with salt and fat. We are talking about emergency service personnel at work. They should only be served nutritious food.”
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Humberside Police have hit back at critics and defended their pies, telling Hull Daily Mail that people shouldn’t be so quick to conclude that the pies are unhealthy. A force spokesperson said: “The catering service adheres to the healthy eating award awarded by Hull City Council.
“The award states all food must be made with low-fat ingredients, all excess fat must be drained from meats, fresh fruit and vegetables must be made available and a choice of potatoes must be provided.”
Last month, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said that the Met should be tougher on so called ‘blobby bobbies’.
He said of unfit and obese officers: “If they don’t [get fitter] then we don’t have a job for them. I think you’ve got a duty to your colleagues.
“If they shout for help, they want fit people to come. They don’t want somebody waddling down the road who’s never going to arrive, and when they get there they’re out of breath.”
The UK has the highest obesity levels in Europe. According to the NHS, obesity levels have more than trebled in the last 30 years and more than half of the population could be obese by 2050.
