U.K., Oct. 30 -- UK Parliament issued the following news:
The Health and Social Care Committee has urged the Prime Minister to make it his "clear, personal mission" to tackle England's obesity crisis, after decades of policy failure.
Read the report
In a third and final report of their 'food and weight management' inquiry, MPs say they have "no faith" that the government will achieve its aim - stated in the 2025 10 Year Health Plan - to "launch a moonshot to end the obesity epidemic".
The cross-party Committee says the government needs to clearly define what it means by "ending the obesity epidemic" and set a target and milestones towards reducing rates across the country.
The government must also produce a cross-departmental action plan which takes every opportunity to tackle this challenge. The Prime Minister must be the one to drive actions by multiple government departments towards the same objective, and ensure it remains a cross-government priority.
The action plan should focus equally on both prevention, including through regulatory changes to the food environment, and on treatment with lifelong support for those living with obesity, with options including behavioural support, weight-loss medication and surgery.
The report recommends that Andy Burnham should oversee this work by chairing a new Cabinet committee to drive delivery of the moonshot overall.
Read more about the Committee's two previous reports from this inquiry, on treatment of obesity and fixing the food environment .
In 2024, 30% of adults in England were living with obesity, a further 36% were overweight, according to NHS England. 28% of children aged 13 to 15 were overweight or obese.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), citing research by Frontier Economics, said obesity costs the UK economy £74.3 billion a year. This includes £11.4 billion to the NHS, £8.9bn to business, £0.4 billion to social care, and costs from reduced quality of life of £48.1 billion.
Chair comment
Health and Social Care Committee Chair Layla Moran MP said:
"The government last year declared its bold ambition to end the obesity epidemic, but it lacks a cohesive, coherent plan. An ambition without a plan risks sounding either naive at best, or insincere at worst, and is bound to fail.
"The moonshot to end the epidemic must be tough on the causes of obesity as well as providing treatment. The government's plan must tackle problems upstream and downstream. That's why improving the care pathways and access to treatment must be twinned with determination to change the food environment.
"That will mean standing up to the food industry on numerous points - regulating the constant presence of adverts and promotions for unhealthy food and drink that wallpaper our lives, simpler labelling on products, targets for supermarkets to sell more healthy foods and restricting fast food outside schools.
"This issue transcends government departments, and experience tells us that if the Prime Minister isn't calling the shots on such a huge, societal issue, the loose ends won't join up and the moonshot will crash land. We urge him to take up this ambition and be the driver of change. In turn, the NHS, public health and the economy will reap the long-term benefits."
Further information
About Parliament: Select committees
Visiting Parliament: Watch committees
Health and Social Care Committee
Image: Adobe stock
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
