Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives

Tackling obesity is one of the greatest long-term health challenges this country faces. Today, around two-thirds (63% of adults are above a healthy weight, and of these half are living with obesity[footnote 1]. We have 1 in 3 children leaving primary school who are already overweight or living with obesity with 1 in 5 living with obesity[footnote 2]. prevalence is highest amongst the most deprived groups in society[footnote 3]. Children in the most deprived parts of the country are more than twice as likely to be obese as their peers living in the richest areas[footnote 4]. This is sowing the seeds of adult diseases and health inequalities in early childhood. is associated with reduced life expectancy. It is a risk factor for a range of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, at least 12 kinds of cancer, liver and respiratory disease[footnote 5], and obesity can impact on mental health[footnote 6]. country’s rates of obesity are storing up future problems for individuals and our NHS. But worryingly, there is now consistent evidence that people who are overweight or living with obesity who contract coronavirus (COVID-19) are more likely to be admitted to hospital, to an intensive care unit and, sadly to die from COVID-19 compared to those of a healthy body weight status[footnote 7]. Obesity has become an immediate concern for anyone who is overweight and for our health and care services. of people who are overweight or living with obesity want to lose weight but find it hard. Many people have tried to lose weight but struggle in the face of endless prompts to eat – on TV and on the high street. In supermarkets, special offers and promotions tempt us to buy foods that are not on the shopping list but are hard to resist. When we eat out, we have little information about how many calories are in the food we are offered. We are biologically programmed to eat and when we are bombarded by advertisements and promotions for food – it’s hard to eat healthily, especially if we are busy or tired or stressed[footnote 8]. understand this. We’ve heard from people up and down the country who want to help themselves. But we’ve also heard that there are some things where they need our help. Today we are announcing a new set of policies that starts to change this environment; to empower people to make the healthier choices they want to make and give the full support of the NHS to people who are overweight and who want to lose weight. It is the start of this government’s effort to shift healthcare to focus more on public health and prevention. people to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is one of the most important things we can do to improve our nation’s health.