Vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies has welcomed measures to tackle obesity outlined in the UK Government’s White Paper on the Future of Health and Care.
Following Health Secretary Matt Hancock MP's statement in the House of Commons yesterday on the Government’s plans for health and care, James gave them his support, highlighting those relating to tackling obesity, and asked when associated legislation would be implemented.
He said:
“As an officer of the All-party Parliamentary Group on obesity, I welcome this statement, particularly its promises relating to obesity policy, including limitations on unhealthy food advertising and new requirements for calorie information on food packaging.
“Will my right hon. Friend outline the likely timescales for the associated legislation and, in the interests of fairness and efficacy, will he ensure that there is a level playing field between advertising via British television broadcasters and advertising on often overseas online services, in terms of statutory extent and date of commencement?”
In his response the Health Secretary said he was pleased to have James’s support “given his extensive knowledge as a practising GP”, and revealed that the White Paper sets out the reforms that the Government hope to have in place by April 2022.
Speaking afterwards, James said:
“I am extremely pleased that tackling obesity is so high on the Government’s agenda.
“The overall societal cost of obesity is estimated to be £27 billion a year, saddling the NHS with an annual bill of several billion.
“As I stated in the debate on ‘Obesity and the Covid-19 outbreak’ in Westminster Hall in November, the harsh truth is that obesity is strongly associated with a number of serious health conditions, including many leading causes of death. It is also associated with poorer mental health outcomes and reduced quality of life.
“The link between obesity, its comorbidities and poor covid-19 outcomes has thankfully sparked renewed interest in tackling Britain’s obesity crisis, and it is vital that we keep up the momentum, especially given that the covid-19 pandemic is still, sadly, very much with us.”
