FOR years Verner Wheelock has been banging the drum about dietary fats.

The former head of the University of Bradford’s Food Policy and Research Unit, who runs a food training and consultancy service in Skipton, is convinced the current dietary guidelines, often promoting low fat products, could be contributing to increasing obesity levels and Type 2 Diabetes, due to the sugars which are often used to replace the fats during their formulation.

Now it seems Verner’s voice, and many more supporters of this issue, are finally being heard after the National Obesity Forum and the Public Health Collaboration called for a “major overhaul” of current dietary guidelines.

They say the focus on low fat diets is failing to address Britain’s obesity crisis, while snacking between meals is making people fat.

Instead, they call for a return to “whole foods” such as meat, fish and dairy, as well as high fat healthy foods including avocados, arguing that “eating fat does not make you fat.”

The report, which has caused a huge backlash amongst the scientific community - also argues that saturated fat does not cause heart disease while full fat dairy, including milk, yoghurt and cheese - can actually protect the heart.

Processed foods labelled “low fat”, “lite”, “low cholesterol” or “proven to lower cholesterol” should be avoided at all costs and people with Type 2 diabetes should eat a fat-rich diet rather than one based on carbohydrates.

Sugar is another consternation for Verner who has long campaigned against the sweet stuff, especially when it comes to tackling Type 2 diabetes.

The report said sugar should be avoided, people should stop counting calories and the idea that exercise can help you “outrun a bad diet” is a myth.

Instead, a diet low in refined carbohydrates but high in healthy fats is “an effective and safe approach for preventing weight gain and aiding weight loss” and cuts the risk of heart disease.

Responding to the news, Verner says he is “absolutely delighted.” “It has been a long time coming.”

“I think there are lots of other people who have come to the same conclusion and it’s not just in this country, it’s all over the world, it is a global issue.”

Regarding sugar, Verner says he believes the battle ‘has been pretty well won’ with the introduction of the sugar tax.

“It sends out the signal to consumers and people in the industry and I think it will have an impact, but they aren’t going to get far if they don’t get through that sugar has to be replaced by healthy fats and they include the saturated fats that we are told are bad for us.”

Soraya Overend, project manager of Jamie’s Ministry of Food in Bradford, says: “It’s so confusing for people. Everybody should just try and eat whole foods and that is the main crisis because people are eating processed foods such as ready meals which are laden with fats and sugar.”

Soraya explains why cooking from scratch, what they teach, is so important. “You know exactly what is in your food if you have made it from scratch yourself.

“Our bodies need a small amount of good fat because it helps the function of your body on a daily basis, but we need to be eating things like avocado and oily fish to keep the body healthy anyway.

“You only get one body and it is your responsibility to take care of yourself and your children by eating healthily. It comes down to exercise as well. If you are eating more calories and not exercising the weight gain will go on. It’s about balance and changing people’s behaviours,” adds Soraya.

Professor David Haslam, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, says: “As a clinician, treating patients all day every day, I quickly realised that guidelines from on high suggesting high carbohydrate, low fat diets were the universal panacea, were deeply flawed.

“Current efforts have failed - the proof being that obesity levels are higher than they have ever been, and show no chance of reducing despite the best efforts of Government and scientists.”

Dr Aseem Malhorta, consultant cardiologist and founding member of the Public Health Collaboration, a group of medics, says: “Eat to get slim, don’t fear fat, fat is your friend. It’s now truly time to bring back the fat.”

But Professor John Wass, the Royal College of Physicians’ special adviser on obesity, said there was “good evidence that saturated fat increases cholesterol.”

He added: “What is needed is a balanced diet, regular physical activity and a normal healthy weight. To quote selective studies risks misleading the public.”