Strategy seeks to reverse childhood obesity trend
Tom Lloyd
Thursday, January 24, 2008
The government has set itself the aim of being the first developed nation to reduce the number of children and young people who are obese.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson told the House of Commons that the government wants to cut the number of children who are obese or overweight to 2000 levels by 2020.
"The government have set themselves a new ambition of being the first major country to reverse the rising tide of obesity in the population by ensuring that all individuals are able to maintain a healthy weight," he said. "Our initial focus is on children."
The Foresight group, which works with government to model future social trends, last year predicted that by 2050 a quarter of children and young people would be obese.
Current figures suggest 18 per cent of two- to 15-year-olds are obese, and a further 14 per cent are overweight.
Johnson has unveiled the government's obesity strategy, Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A Cross Government Strategy for England, which contains a range of measures to reduce the problem.
Proposals include early identification of children who may be at risk of obesity, making breast feeding the default option for mothers, compulsory cookery lessons in school, and increased participation in physical education.
The Health Secretary also said the government wants to ensure meals brought into school are as healthy as meals prepared on the premises.
Other measures include getting advertising regulator Ofcom to bring forward its review of the impact junk food adverts have on children, and setting up a working group to develop tools to help parents manage their children's access to TV, web sites and video games.
The overall strategy also looks at combating obesity in adults. It is backed by £372m, £75m of which will be spent on a marketing campaign to get parents to change their children's diet and encourage physical activity.
Johnson said: "It is not the government's role to hector or lecture people, but we do have a duty to support them in leading healthier lifestyles. This will only succeed if the problem is recognised, owned and addressed in every part of society."
The Children's Commissioner for England, Al Aynsley-Green, who was formerly national clinical director for children at the Department of Health, welcomed the strategy.
He said: "Now that tackling obesity is high on the agenda, I want to see a firm commitment made to introduce a 9pm watershed on junk food TV adverts to further limit young people's exposure to unhealthy food."
