ADPH responds to announcement of new Government consultation on HFSS products

Commenting on the announcement from Government of a new consultation on HFSS products, Prof Jim McManus, said:

“We are extremely disappointed to hear that the Government are once again delaying legislation on restrictions for HFSS foods.

“If the Government is serious about its ambition to halve childhood obesity in England and significantly reduce the gap in obesity between children from the most and least deprived areas by 2030, further action needs to be taken as a matter of urgency.

“We are clear that only by adopting policies that reduce the risks of people becoming overweight, can we tackle obesity effectively. That means more robust marketing restrictions for HFSS foods, labeling legislation that includes the out of the home sector and closing loopholes in the law that mean some schools are currently exempt from providing nutritional meals.

“Government also has key role to play to incentivise food manufacturers to improve the health impact of their products.

“Ultimately, what is needed is a whole system approach with action at national, local and individual level, bringing in environmental and societal factors to create a culture where a healthy weight is the default for everyone.

“This means, that alongside national policy change, we also need Government to commit to increasing public health funding in order for local public health teams to continue to be able to provide appropriate treatment and care that is targeted and tailored for those who want to lose weight, maintain weight loss and improve their wellbeing.

“Only through such action, which requires joint working across planning, housing, transport, business, education, health and the voluntary and community sector can we truly tackle this issue which, although entirely preventable, currently causes physical and mental health issues for millions of people throughout the UK and tragically, claims thousands of lives each year.”