Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN)

SACN advises on nutrition and related health matters. It advises Public Health England and other UK government organisations.



The SACN report on Saturated Fats and Health has been published on 1 August 2019.




We are recruiting a Chair for SACN and members for SMCN. Further details are available in the recruitment section.


Terms of Reference

SACN advises on:

  • nutrient content of individual foods, and on diet as a whole including the definition of a balanced diet, and the nutritional status of people
  • nutritional status of people in the UK and how it may be monitored
  • nutritional issues which affect wider public health policy issues including conditions where nutritional status is one of a number of risk factors (eg cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis and/or obesity)
  • nutrition of vulnerable groups (eg infants and the elderly) and health inequality issues
  • research requirements for the above

SACN is supported in its work by a secretariat provided by Public Health England. The secretariat has scientific expertise that enables them to provide members with comprehensive background information and briefing papers to inform the decision making processes of the Committee.

Code of Practice

The SACN Code of Practice (PDF, 510KB, 27 pages) sets out how the committee puts into practice the guidelines governing scientific advisory committees, such as the Government Office for Science Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees.

SACN follow a set Framework for the Evaluation of Evidence (PDF, 580KB, 22 pages) that relates food and nutrients to health, to ensure a consistent approach is taken with all reviews.

Membership

SACN members are appointed as independent scientific experts on the basis of their specific skills and knowledge. There are also consumer and lay members.

Members are required to conduct themselves in accordance with the Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees.

The committee is chaired by Professor Ann Prentice, Honorary Professor of Global Nutrition and Health, MRC Nutrition and Bone Health Research Group, Cambridge (formerly Director of MRC Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Cambridge). The deputy chair is Professor Peter Aggett, Emeritus Professor and Past Head of Lancashire School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health, University of Central Lancashire, and Honorary Professor, School of Medicine, Lancaster University.

The members are:

  • Ms Gill Fine, Public Health Nutritionist
  • Dr Darren Greenwood, Senior Lecturer in Biostatistics, University of Leeds
  • Professor Paul Haggarty, Deputy Director, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen
  • Professor Susan Jebb, Professor Of Diet And Population Health, University of Oxford
  • Professor Susan Lanham-New, Head of the Nutritional Sciences Department, University of Surrey
  • Professor Julie Lovegrove, Professor of Human Nutrition, Head of the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition and Deputy Director of the Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research, University of Reading
  • Professor Ian Macdonald, Professor of Metabolic Physiology at the University of Nottingham
  • Professor Harry McArdle, Professor Emeritus of Biomedical Sciences, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen
  • Dr David Mela (Industry member), retired
  • Dr Ken Ong, Professor of Paediatric Epidemiology, University of Cambridge
  • Mrs Gemma Paramor (Lay member), Finance professional in accounting and investment management
  • Professor Hilary Powers, Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield
  • Professor Sian Robinson, Professor of Lifecourse & Lifestyle, Newcastle University
  • Professor Angus Walls, Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Director of the Edinburgh Dental Institute, University of Edinburgh
  • Dr Stella Walsh (Consumer member)
  • Professor Charlotte Wright, Professor of Community Child Health, University of Glasgow
  • Professor Ian Young, Professor of Medicine, Queen’s University Belfast

Further information on committee members is included in the SACN Annual Report 2017.

Register of Interests

The SACN Register of Interests (PDF, 1.25MB, 72 pages) contains details of all declarations of interest by members of SACN, its subgroup and working groups. This information is updated as and when declarations are made.

SACN meetings

2019 meetings scheduled for 27 March, 18 June and 5 November.
2020 meetings scheduled for 10 March, 11 June and 20 November.

Minutes

The following documents are now available:

View the SACN main meeting minutes and papers

Minutes of meetings before 2014 can be viewed on the SACN page on the National Archives

Subgroup on Maternal and Child Nutrition (SMCN)

Terms of reference

To advise, through SACN, on such aspects of child and maternal diet and nutrition, as are referred to it by the UK health departments and SACN.

Membership

SMCN is chaired by Professor Ken Ong, SACN.

The members are:

  • Professor Peter Aggett, Emeritus Professor and Past Head of Lancashire School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health, University of Central Lancashire. Honorary Professor, School of Medicine, Lancaster University
  • Professor Annie S Anderson, Professor of Public Health Nutrition, University of Dundee
  • Professor Alan A Jackson, Institute of Human Nutrition, Southampton General Hospital
  • Professor Mairead Kiely, Head of School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork
  • Professor Lucilla Poston, Tommy’s Professor of Maternal and Fetal Health, Head of School of Life Course Sciences, King’s College London
  • Professor Ann Prentice, SACN
  • Professor Sian Robinson, SACN
  • Professor Angus Walls, SACN
  • Dr Stella Walsh, SACN
  • Professor Charlotte Wright, SACN

Further information on subgroup members is included in the SACN Annual Report 2017.

Minutes

2018 meetings scheduled for 1 February, 10 May and 25 September.
2019 meetings scheduled for 30 January, 22 May and 2 October.

The following documents are now available:

View the SMCN minutes and papers

Minutes of meetings before 2014 can be viewed on the SMCN page on the National Archives

Joint SACN - NHS England - Diabetes UK working group to review the evidence on lower carbohydrate diets (alongside higher fat and/or higher protein) compared to current government advice for adults with type 2 diabetes

Terms of reference

  • To review the evidence on lower carbohydrate diets (alongside higher fat and/or higher protein) compared to current government advice for adults with type 2 diabetes1. This will include consideration of the impact of lower carbohydrate diets compared with higher carbohydrate diets on clinical outcomes and markers of type 2 diabetes and any potential adverse effects.
  • Make recommendations based on the review of the evidence.

1 Current government advice is that approximately 50% of dietary energy should be obtained from carbohydrates

Membership

The working group is co-chaired by Professor Ian Macdonald (SACN) and Mr Douglas Twenefour (Diabetes UK).

The members are:

  • Professor Professor Peter Aggett, Emeritus Professor and Past Head of Lancashire School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health, University of Central Lancashire. Honorary Professor, School of Medicine, Lancaster University
  • Dr Pamela Dyson (Research dietitian, University of Oxford)
  • Professor Nita Forouhi (Programme Leader, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge)
  • Dr Rachel Pryke (GP, Redditch, Worcestershire)
  • Professor Roy Taylor (Professor of Medicine and Metabolism, University of Newcastle)
  • Ms Ruth Waxman (Lay member)
  • Professor Ian Young (SACN)

Minutes

2018 meetings scheduled for 16 May, 13 September and 12 December.
2019 meetings scheduled for 28 February, 8 May , 25 July and 12 December.
Meetings are held in closed session.

The following documents are now available:

Saturated Fats Working Group

Terms of reference

  • to review the evidence for the relationship between saturated fats and health and make recommendations
  • to review evidence on the association between saturated fatty acids and key risk factors and health outcomes at different life stages for the general UK population

Membership

The working group is chaired by Professor Paul Haggarty, SACN.

The members are:

  • Professor Jules Griffin, University of Cambridge
  • Professor Timothy Key, SACN
  • Professor Mairead Kiely, SMCN
  • Professor Julie Lovegrove, SACN
  • Dr David Mela, SACN
  • Mrs Gemma Paramor, SACN
  • Professor Ian Young, SACN

Minutes

2018 meetings scheduled for 25 January (teleconference), 26 July and 5 October.
2019 meeting scheduled for 31 January.
Meetings are held in closed session.

The following documents are now available:

View the Saturated Fats Working Group minutes and papers.

Older Adults Working Group

Terms of reference

  • To review current evidence on the role of nutrition in older adults and its impact on healthy ageing 1,2,3 . This will include consideration of:

    i. key nutritional issues relevant to age-related health, including age-related changes in cognition, physical and metabolic function
    ii. current dietary intake and patterns compared to current UK government advice
    iii. evidence according to chronological age: 65-74 years, 75 years and above

  • To draw conclusions on the state of the evidence in relation to existing advice and make recommendations where possible.

1 Excludes older adults who are living in residential care or nursing homes
2 New evidence will not be sought where SACN have already published relevant conclusions and/or recommendations for these age groups
3 For more information, see inclusion and exclusion criteria

Membership

The working group is chaired by Ms Gill Fine, SACN.

The members are:

  • Professor Harry McArdle, SACN
  • Professor Sian Robinson, SACN
  • Professor Angus Walls, SACN
  • Dr Stella Walsh, SACN

Call for evidence

A call for evidence on the role of nutrition in older adults and its impact on healthy ageing was published on 9 January. Submissions were accepted until 5 February 2019.

Minutes

2018 meetings scheduled for 24 July (teleconference) and 14 September.
2019 meetings scheduled for 7 February, 7 May and 24 September.
Meetings are held in closed session.

The following documents are now available:

View all Older Adults Working Group minutes.

Archived Groups

Joint SACN-COT Potassium-based Sodium Replacers Working Group

The Joint SACN-COT Potassium-based Sodium Replacers Working Group has been disbanded following the completion of its work and publication of the SACN-COT statements on potassium-based sodium replacers. In addition to the statements, you can view details of the joint working group (held by National Archives) and the working group’s minutes and papers (held by COT).

Joint SACN-COT Working Group on the timing of introduction of allergenic foods into the infant diet

The Joint SACN-COT Working Group on the timing of introduction of allergenic foods into the infant diet has been disbanded following the completion of its work and publication of the SACN-COT statement on the introduction of peanut and hen’s egg into the infant diet. In addition to the statement, you can view details of the joint working group (held by National Archives) and the working group’s minutes and papers (held by COT).

Military Energy DRVs Working Group

The Military Energy DRVs Working Group has been disbanded following the completion of its work and publication of the SACN Statement on Military Dietary Reference Values for Energy. In addition to the statement, you can view the details of the Military Energy DRVs Working Group, which are held in the National Archives and the Military Energy DRVs Working Group minutes and papers.

Vitamin D Working Group

The Vitamin D Working Group has been disbanded following the completion of its work and publication of the SACN Vitamin D and Health report. In addition to the report, you can view the SACN press release on the vitamin D report (PDF, 195KB, 2 pages) , the results of the public consultation and details of the Vitamin D Working Group, which are held in the National Archives.

View the Vitamin D Working Group minutes and papers from 2014 until the completion of its work.

View the Vitamin D Working Group minutes and papers before 2014 on the National Archives website.

Carbohydrates Working Group

The Carbohydrates Working Group has been disbanded following the completion of its work and publication of the SACN Carbohydrates and Health report. In addition to the report, you can view the SACN press release (PDF, 350KB, 3 pages) , the results of the public consultation and details of the Carbohydrates Working Group, which are held in the National Archives.

View the Carbohydrates Working Group minutes and papers from 2014 until the completion of its work.

View the Carbohydrate Working Group minutes and papers before 2014 on the National Archives website.

Recruitment of SACN Chair and SMCN members

Chair - The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN)

Members – SACN Subgroup on Maternal and Child Nutrition (SMCN)

SACN is a UK wide Advisory Committee set up to provide advice to Public Health England as well as other government agencies and departments. Its remit includes matters concerning nutrient content of individual foods, advice on diet and the nutritional status of people.

Public Health England is looking to appoint a Chair to the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and up to four members of the SACN subgroup on maternal and child nutrition (SMCN).

Chair of SACN

The Chair will need to have wide ranging experience in nutrition and be able to demonstrate their ability to contribute robust views, representing the interests of the wider public, to technical discussions with other specialist experts. The Chair should have a good understanding of the public health aspects of their areas of expertise, be prepared to contribute soundly based scientific points to discussions with other eminent experts and have judgement, tact and diplomacy in handling sensitive discussions. The Chair will be required to draw coherent and scientifically justifiable conclusions from diverse views and be able to communicate complex issues to the media/public.

The Committee meets three times per year and is made up of specialists from a range of relevant disciplines.

Remuneration will be £240 per meeting for a time commitment of up to 10 days per year. Public Health England’s Senior Responsible Officer determines the length of appointments, which may be for up to a maximum of 3 years.

Members SMCN

SMCN meets three times per year and is made up of specialists from a range of relevant disciplines.

We are looking to appoint individuals with expertise in at least one of the following areas: body composition, growth and metabolism; dental health; micronutrients; eating behaviour and food preferences.

Remuneration will be £200 per meeting with a time commitment of up to 10 days per year. Public Health England’s Senior Responsible Officer determines the length of appointments, which may be for up to a maximum of 3 years.

If you are interested in applying as SACN Chair or SMCN member, then please consult the relevant information pack included in the application documents (ZIP, 1.67MB) .

The closing date for applications is 11.59pm on 26 August 2019.

Public Health England values and promotes diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community.

News

SACN report on Saturated Fats and Health

The SACN report on Saturated Fats and Health has been published on 1 August 2019. You can also view documents related to the consultation on the draft report. The documents include comments submitted during consultation and the response to each of these from SACN.

SACN is recruiting

SACN is recruiting a Chair for SACN and members for SMCN. Further details are available in the recruitment section.

Request for comments on the draft scope for a risk assessment on nutrition and maternal health

Comment period: from 27 June to 25 July 2019

SACN is requesting comments on the draft scope for a risk assessment on nutrition and maternal health. You are invited to submit comments relating to the proposed approach. For more information please download the comments documents (ZIP, 1.12MB) .

Please note that a formal call for evidence will be issued during the risk assessment process.

Any scientific comments or evidence for consideration by SACN should be emailed to the SACN secretariat at sacn@phe.gov.uk by 11.59pm on 25 July 2019.

  • Submit responses using the attached response form. Please do not PDF the form.
  • Please do not amend the formatting of the form.
  • Please do not embed attachments into the response form.

Call for evidence

You are invited to submit evidence for SACN’s review of the evidence on feeding young children aged 12 to 60 months.

Please ensure that any evidence you bring to SACN’s attention:

  • satisfies the inclusion and exclusion criteria stated in the call for evidence (PDF, 836KB, 13 pages)

  • has not already been identified through SACN’s own literature search (see studies listed in annex A of the call for evidence). For more information please refer to the call for evidence (PDF, 836KB, 13 pages) .

Please email your evidence to sacn@phe.gov.uk by 5pm on 5 April 2019.

SACN Annual Report 2018 published

The SACN Annual Report for the calendar year 2018 has now been published.

COMA reports available online

Reports published by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) are now available online. COMA advised UK government on matters relating to food and nutrition, prior to the establishment of SACN in 2000.

SACN report on Feeding in the First Year of Life

The SACN report on Feeding in the First Year of Life was published on 17 July. You can also view documents related to the consultation on the draft report. The documents include comments submitted during consultation and the response to each of these from SACN.

Consultation on ‘Saturated Fat and Health’ draft report

SACN’s consultation on its draft report ‘Saturated Fat and Health’ is open for scientific comment until 5pm on 3 July 2018. You can download the consultation invitation, the consultation response form and the draft report from the consultation website.

Some background and a summary of the report’s draft recommendations are provided in this news story.

SACN statement on diet, cognitive impairment and dementias has been published

The SACN statement on diet, cognitive impairment and dementias has been published on 28 February 2018.

Reports

See all SACN reports

Older reports can be viewed on the SACN page on the National Archives

Position Statements

See all SACN position statements

Older position statements can be viewed on the SACN page on the National Archives

Annual Reports

See the latest SACN annual report

Older annual reports can be viewed on the SACN annual reports page on the National Archives

COMA Reports

See reports published by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA). COMA advised UK government on matters relating to food and nutrition, prior to the establishment of SACN in 2000.

Contact details

SACN Secretariat
Public Health England
Wellington House (floor 7S)
133 to 155 Waterloo Road
London
SE1 8UG

SACN@phe.gov.uk


Press office: 020 7654 8400
Out of hours: 020 8200 4400
phe-pressoffice@phe.gov.uk

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