Obesity strategy

ePolitix.com Stakeholders comment on claims that the governments obesity strategy is confused and dithering.

The Commons public accounts committee said in a report last Thursday that a target set three years ago to halt the increase in obesity among under-11s by 2011 was unlikely to be met without tougher action.

Stakeholder Response: Association for Physical Education

To send a comment to the Association for Physical Education clickhere

Professor Margaret Talbot, chief executive of the Association for Physical Education, said: "The biggest problem for us is that the whole debate and therefore government response has been hi-jacked by obsession with intake and food, rather than a balanced approach to both intake and output. 

"If a fraction of the funding being spent on panic measures on food could be invested into sustainable programmes which enable and encourage children and young people to be more physically active, then there would be immediate and long-lasting results. 

"For example, it seems very strange that no government funding can be found to ensure sound health and safety advice for people delivering activity and exercise programmes to children and young people, which is the single greatest barrier to community groups doing so (from fear of litigation etc).

"It would cost only around £100,000 pa.  Similarly, it’s not possible for voluntary groups to upskill their volunteers by using

"Learning and Skills Council funding because the priorities of DfES insist that funding priority goes to 16 to 19-year-olds and people without Level Two qualifications; this excludes almost all adult volunteers. 

"Just two examples of government policy having unintended consequences on work which could help prevent childhood obesity.  I could go on for days about this!"

Stakeholder Response: British Retail Consortium

To send a comment to the BRC clickhere

A BRC spokesman said: "The government is right to point to the complexity of the problem and inevitably, bringing together a comprehensive policy that encompasses all the key areas does take time.

"The BRC is of the opinion that we do need to see some progress on the Department of Health social marketing campaign as that has the potential to bring all the strands of obesity policy together.

"The debate also shows that this problem can only be solved by activity in all areas.

"To date we have seen a lot of activity by the food retailers and manufacturers, offering healthier choices and clearer labelling but less in other key areas.

"We need a similar commitment from others who have a role to play and in society in general.

"That needs an acceptance from all stakeholders that work with government that the problem cannot be solved by one sector alone."