Sylvia Heal

Labour Party | Halesowen and Rowley Regis

Local MP backs Government plan to tackle obesity

30 January 2008

Sylvia Heal MP has backed the Government’s new plan to tackle obesity launched today.

The England-wide strategy Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives, launched on January 23, sets the government’s plans to tackle obesity in five key areas: preventing weight problems in childhood, promoting healthier food choices, building physical activity into people's lives, supporting health at work and providing incentives more widely to promote health; and providing effective treatment and support when people become overweight or obese.

Sylvia Heal MP said: "All parents want to make healthy choices for their children, but it isn't always easy. We all know that modern society can sometimes encourage us to get into bad eating habits. Everyone has a role to play in tackling obesity - we all need to work together to ensure that children eat healthily and get proper exercise."

Sylvia added: "I am calling on local supermarkets to review where they display sweets and chocolates at checkouts, so they don’t put undue pressure on parents when queuing with children."