Obesity

Stakeholder response: The Princes Foundation for Integrated Health

To send a comment to The Princes Foundation for Integrated Health clickhere 

Kim Lavely, chief executive of The Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health, said: "The Foresight report on obesity published this week leaves no doubt that obesity is an escalating problem, approaching epidemic proportions.

"The government departments with responsibility in this area will no doubt be feeling under pressure to deliver policy initiatives that look like quick wins and offer reassurance in an atmosphere approaching panic.

"Now is the time for sustained, long-term support and funding for projects which are proven to bring about lasting behavioural change, and public awareness drives that continue to raise understanding of how to avoid and reverse obesity and of its effect on health. 

"We need to tackle the underlying causes of an obesogenic environment which promotes inactivity and over-eating, and makes high-fat highly processed food easily available, affordable and attractive. We need integrated solutions that facilitate change in individuals, in communities and in society. 

"‘People need to be encouraged and inspired to make healthy choices – to be more active and to cook and eat more healthily.

"Government policies on food advertising and food labelling need to be proactive and vigorous, and not held back by fears of accusations of nanny statism. We urge the government to ban the use of trans-fats in retail food products and in restaurants.

"Trans-fats are harmful, long-term toxins which abet obesity and are of benefit only to the food industry, as they make food production considerably cheaper and therefore, increase profit margins. 

"We also support the extension of the ban on advertising of junk food to include commercial breaks in adult programmes known to attract large numbers of young people.

"Helping children to understand what constitutes a healthy lifestyle and teaching them how to cook should be a core part of the curriculum. 

"We welcome the government’s commitment to increasing the number of hours of sport offered in schools, although competitive sport should be balanced with other types of physical activity so that less fit or able children can enjoy opportunities to be active.

"One of the most fundamental changes needed to dismantle the obesogenic environment is the design of the built environment. 

"Central and local government planning policies must prioritise the development of 'walkable communities' designed around people rather than cars, where shops, public services (like GP surgeries and libraries), green spaces and places of worship are all within a reasonable walk. 

"We need to avoid the type of planning which places low-density housing, supermarkets and office development on separate sites, forcing people to drive. 'Walkability' should be a key test of the acceptability of proposed developments. 

"The design of our communities needs to balance the needs of people and traffic if we are to help people to live more active lives. Over 4,000 children and 8,000 adults are killed or seriously injured every year by cars or lorries while walking or cycling.

"The higher the traffic volume, the less time people spend outside. We need planning which routinely includes and promotes pedestrianised areas, traffic calming measures and wider pavements. 

"Our public environment needs to be clean, well-managed and well-lit, with many more street trees and thoughtful corporate planting, as well as an emphasis on providing safe, high-quality green spaces, so that it becomes pleasant to walk, run, cycle and spend time in parks.    

"The Foundation will continue to work to highlight innovative, evidence-based efforts to tackle obesity and to support the creation of environments that enable, encourage and inspire people to make healthy choices."

Stakeholder response: Which?

To send a comment to Which clickhere

Which? chief policy advisor Sue Davies says: "Today's findings are a stark warning that tougher action is needed to overcome rocketing obesity levels. 

"Obesity is a complex problem but the solutions currently on the table are not up to the task.

"A government commitment to a 9pm advertising watershed and curbs on non-broadcast marketing of unhealthy foods aimed at children would help kick-start the much-needed turnaround in levels of childhood obesity."

Stakeholder response: Chance UK

To send a comment to Chance UK clickhere

A spokesperson said: "Obesity is an issue that we have to address early in childhood. 

"At Chance UK, we work with many children and families who do not have a balanced diet. 

"Some families don’t know how to cook good food on a budget and will often resort to low cost junk food. 

"Our parent worker often helps families understand how to prepare nutritious meals on a budget, which has an impact on the whole family. 

"In our child mentoring programme, we have a strict healthy eating policy, ensuring that food is used for nourishment and not as a treat and that the children consume natural products, such as fresh sandwiches and fruit juice. 

"We also encourage physical activity, as many children displaying behavioural problems have energy to burn.  

"By introducing children, and through them, their families, to the local facilities such as parks and sport centre, we encourage an interest in being physically fit and active that will hopefully stay with the children throughout their life. 

"Both the families' approach to food and activity is often down to a lack of information, or knowing where to go to access such information, so more work needs to be done to increase people's access to existing support and provision."

Staekholder response: Royal College of Physicians

To send a comment to the Royal College of Physicians clickhere

Professor Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: "The emphasis on cross-governmental initiatives is particularly welcome, as is the importance of addressing issues across society, whilst avoiding blame.

"As the Royal College of Physicians is responsible for standards in postgraduate education and training of physicians, we acknowledge the need to train health professionals to tackle this growing problem, and are delighted to work with the government on this issue."