The European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA) has called for changes to EU health claims on glycaemic carbohydrates and glucose that do not take into account the nutritional needs and requirements of sports people. The trade association warns that they are in danger of causing more confusion to consumers instead of acting as guidance.
In a letter to government authorities across Europe, including the UK Department of Health, ESSNA repeated its support for the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (NHCR). However, ESSNA warned that ‘in developing the conditions of use attached to certain claims, the European Commission is in danger of failing to accommodate the needs of different groups of consumers, such as the higher energy intake requirements of sportspeople.’
ESSNA asserts that the quantities specified for the conditions of use for glycaemic carbohydrates claims are too large and need to be altered to reflect the availability of glycaemic carbohydrates in normal foodstuffs and beverages, as well as sports nutrition products.
Given how important glucose claims are to sports people, ESSNA believes it is essential that the European Commission shows flexibility and common sense on conditions of use and/or the wording of claims to allow the claims for products that are targeted at the many physically active people across Europe.
ESSNA, which is the voice of the sports nutrition industry in Europe and a staunch supporter of proportionate regulation and more consumer information, is calling for amendments to be made to the wording of these claims in the interest of consumer information and transparency.
It has stressed the importance of these claims on content and health benefits to the growing sports nutrition sector, particularly as plenty of misleading information is currently readily available in the public domain, and warned that not making the adjustments would result in public confusion, undermining the purpose of the NHCR.
Dr Adam Carey, Chair of ESSNA said “ESSNA is fully behind evidence-based regulation and we welcome the European Commission’s action to progress these claims. However, some changes do need to be made. The aim of the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation is to make things easier and clearer for consumers but these claims may well have the complete opposite effect.”
He continued, “We should focus on the specific needs of the sports nutrition consumer – this is a big and growing sector, from casual joggers through to professional athletes, and there’s a lot of misinformation out there. The Commission should be working to clear this up rather than confuse people even more, and this means the wording of some claims should be amended to ensure absolute clarity. The changes we are asking for are minor but would have a very big impact.”
The specific claims to which ESSNA refers to are the following:
- EFSA-Q-2013-00234: Glycaemic carbohydrates and contribution to recovery of normal muscle function after strenuous exercise
- EFSA-Q-2012-00270: Glucose contributes to normal muscle function
- EFSA-Q-2012-00267: Glucose supports normal physical activity
- EFSA-Q-2012-00269: Glucose contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism during exercise
- EFSA-Q-2012-00266: Glucose is metabolised within the body’s normal energy metabolism
- EFSA-Q-2012-00268: Glucose contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism
