How can McDonald’s chips be healthier than porridge? Government’s ‘confusing’ junk food classification explained…

McDonald’s fries are healthier than some types of porridge, according to the bizarre formula the Government will use to classify if a food should face advertising restrictions.  

Ministers plan to introduce legislation that will curb ‘junk’ food and drink commercials airing before 9pm on television, and axe online ads completely in bid to combat soaring child obesity in Britian.

The nanny-state measure has already faced criticism by experts who say the rules unfairly target healthy foods like muesli, but leave fat and salt packed sausage rolls exempt.

Yesterday, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting revealed the 13 categories of food and drink to face a proposed advertising ban, as well as exemptions.

These foods and beverages will be subject to a formula created over a decade ago that aims to determine if a food is ‘junk’ or not.

However, MailOnline can reveal this equation bizarrely classifies fast food fries as healthy.

It also lumps foods that are markedly different in nutritional profile in the same unhealthy category — for instance English breakfast muffins are just as bad for you as a pizza, according to the rules.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) claims the measures could prevent 20,000 cases of childhood obesity.

But with such confusing criteria, experts have warned that the guidance could have the opposite effect and make Brits give up on healthy eating entirely.

‘If people think they’re being told muesli is suddenly unhealthy, it’ll make them give up and think, “oh well, if it’s all bad for me, I may aswell go and eat a Mars bar”‘, said Dr Max Pemberton, psychiatrist and founder of weight loss firm, GetSlimmr.

So how did the Government make it’s calculations? And are we right to class porridge and muesli as bad for us? Here, MailOnline reveals all. 

What are the 13 categories of food and drink subject to the restrictions and what’s exempt? 

Yesterday, the Department for Health and Social Care announced the following categories of food and drink would be subject to potential restrictions starting from October next year.

These were soft drinks, savoury snacks, breakfast cereal, chocolates and sweets, ice cream, cakes and cupcakes, biscuits and cereal and protein bars, so called ‘morning goods’, desserts and puddings, yoghurts, pizzas, potato products and ready meals.

Accompanying literature details a list of exactly which foods are included as part of these categories, and if any exceptions apply.

For example, soft drinks covers sodas, and fruit juices, kefirs, and energy drinks. However, it excludes milk and any fruit or vegetable juice without any added sugar.

Meanwhile the ambiguously named ‘morning goods’ includes a host of pastries and baked products like croissants, pain au chocolat, crumpets, scones, fruit loaves and hot cross buns. 

Savoury snacks includes crisps, but dried fruit is exempt. While breakfast cereals includes not only cereals but items like porridge and muesli as potentially risky health options.

The numerous exemptions have drawn particular criticisms from experts. 

While cakes are on the list, cake icing is exempt. While ice cream is listed, ice cream sauces, which can be packed with sugar, are not. 

One of biggest exemptions is in category 13, a group that does includes ready meals, burgers, fish and chips and sandwiches.

However, the Government’s singles out savoury pastry products like sausage rolls and quiches as well as other foods like ‘battered cheese products’ as exempt from the rules.

It should be noted that just because a product is in one of the 13 categories list doesn’t mean it automatically faces restrictions, its ‘nutritional profile’ still needs to be assessed. 

How does the Government determine if a product should face restrictions?

Health chiefs said food and drinks on the list will be assessed via a ‘nutrient profiling model’ that was developed over a decade ago.

This is a formula that is a combination of two scores, one assessing its unhealthy qualities and the other its healthy qualities. 

The unhealthy score assesses food and drink for item’s calorie count, saturated fat content as well as total sugars and sodium, per 100g.

This will give the item a total unhealthy score out of a possible maximum of 40 points.  

The food or drink is then scored for healthy qualities such as fibre content and how much protein, the building blocks of our muscles, it has for a possible maximum of 15 points.

This healthy score is then subtracted from the unhealthy counterpart to provide a final figure.

If this final figure is a three or below, the item is considered healthy. In contrast, a result of over four means its junk food and would be subject to the ad ban.

But MailOnline can reveal that this leads to some unexpected results.    

For instance, according to the calculations, McDonald’s are classified as healthy and therefore do not fall under advertising restrictions.  

The famous fries score 3 points for calories, 0 points for sugar, one for saturated fat and two for sodium, taking the total unhealthy score to six.

But the fries win back a point for protein, as well as three for fibre, making the total healthy score four.

This results in a final score of two, which is healthy under the system.

Meanwhile frozen potato smilies score a healthy three, while fish fingers, thanks to being packed with protein, comes up as two. 

While basic porridges are spared, those that contain added sugars — from golden syrup flavourings, for instance, are out.

Packs of Quaker’s Oat So Simple Golden Syrup score a whopping 6 points, while children’s cereal, Sainsbury’s Rice Pops, sits at a comfortable 0.

Additionally, if a food scores 11 unhealthy points, its healthy points are automatically expunged. 

This is designed to ensure items like burgers, packed with unhealthy fat and salt, don’t appear healthy due to their high amounts of protein. 

What do nutritionists think?

Experts say it’s critical that healthy foods, like plain porridges and muesli, aren’t maligned for being on the Government’s potential ‘unhealthy’ list. 

Rob Hobson, registered nutritionist, said the situation was ‘very confusing for consumers’.

‘We need to avoid a situation where healthy foods are being demonised,’ he said.

He acknowledged that some formulations, like porridge sachets containing golden syrup, can contain about half of an adult’s recommended 30g of sugar limit. 

But he said this should come down to ‘common sense’.  ‘Plain porridge with milk is not junk food,’ he said. 

‘It’s a great source of fibre, and when combined with milk it gives you protein. With bit of fruit on there it’s a healthy well-balanced breakfast.’