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Obesity Food and Diet 2025-01-20
20 January 2025
Lead MP
Simon Opher
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
Northern Ireland
Other Contributors: 39
At a Glance
Simon Opher raised concerns about obesity food and diet 2025-01-20 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Dr Opher highlighted the alarming rise in obesity rates in the UK, affecting both adults and children. He cited statistics indicating that two-thirds of adults are overweight and one-quarter are obese, while 10% of four-year-old children and 22% of Year 6 students suffer from obesity. He emphasised the significant health implications associated with obesity, including increased risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and other conditions. Dr Opher argued that diet is the primary cause of obesity due to issues like high prices of healthy foods compared to unhealthy ones and the addictive nature of processed foods. He advocated for mandatory reporting on food sales healthiness, a ban on junk food advertising, restrictions on price promotions, improved breastfeeding support, and regulation of formula feeds.
Bath
Ms Hobhouse suggested that addressing obesity requires tackling the stigma associated with eating disorders. She emphasised the importance of treating people with compassion and understanding to help them improve their lives.
Peter Swallow
Lab
Bracknell
Mr Swallow agreed on the need for addressing both food systems that lead to poor health outcomes and reducing food prices to tackle child poverty, which is strongly correlated with child obesity.
Slough
Mr Dhesi praised the Government's new policy of free breakfast clubs for primary school children and advocated for ensuring these meals are nutritious. He also supported mandatory reporting on food healthiness, front-of-packet labelling, and local sourcing for school foods.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Mr Shannon highlighted concerns about the potential dangers of drugs like Ozempic used to treat obesity, citing recent press reports on adverse health effects experienced by users.
Alec Shelbrooke
Con
Wetherby and Easingwold
Sir Alec discussed his personal experience with weight loss, highlighting the effectiveness of drugs like Wegovy in controlling appetite. He emphasised the importance of willpower alongside medication, addressing stigma around weight-loss treatments.
Yasmin Qureshi
Lab
Bolton South and Walkden
Yasmin Qureshi thanked Dr Opher for securing the debate but did not provide a detailed position or statistics in the given excerpt.
Lee Dillon
LD
Newbury
In West Berkshire, nearly 32% of year 6 students are classified as overweight. Obesity rates in the UK have doubled over the past three decades due to dietary changes. Today, 25% of food outlets are fast-food establishments offering high-fat and sugar meals that are more affordable than healthy options. The cost of living pressures families to choose unhealthy foods. Obesity costs the NHS £35 billion annually, increasing risks for various diseases like heart disease and certain cancers. Government should reverse cuts to public health grants and expand national food strategy to address rising food prices, end food poverty, and improve nutrition.
Ben Coleman
Lab
Chelsea and Fulham
In Victorian times, food was often adulterated with harmful additives. Today's issues are similar but legal substances like sugar, salt, and fats are being added in excessive amounts to make foods cheap, preserve them, and make them addictive. This results in a public health emergency with high obesity rates among high-income nations, only surpassed by tobacco as a life-shortening factor. Policies should address the wider challenge of how much society spends on food.
Jonathan Davies
Lab
Mid Derbyshire
Davies raises the issue of food banks and their role in inadvertently contributing to unhealthy diets due to the nature of products provided.
Aphra Brandreth
Con
Chester South and Eddisbury
Brandreth argues for a meaningful, transformative policy shift beyond previous failed attempts. She emphasises the need for a joined-up approach across the supply chain and government departments to address obesity rates effectively.
Jas Athwal
Lab
Ilford South
Mr Athwal shares his personal story of battling obesity, emphasising the cultural challenges in Asian communities. He outlines initiatives such as banning fast-food outlets near schools and increasing support for healthy food options through charities and youth centres.
Ann Davies
PC
Caerfyrddin
Ms Davies discusses the obesity challenge in Wales, noting the link between poverty and poor health. She supports initiatives like free school meals and local farm to fork projects that promote healthy eating and food security.
Will Stone
Lab
Swindon North
Disagrees slightly with the suggestion that food is the only answer, highlighting the importance of fitness. Cites a statistic showing 36.8% of children in his constituency leaving primary school overweight. Emphasises this as both a health and an equality issue. Expresses pride in the debate's focus on obesity and food, appreciates preventative measures taken by the Government.
Honiton and Sidmouth
Commends hon. Member for Stroud for securing the debate and calls attention to incentives used in East Devon to tackle diets. Highlights Project Food charity’s work in Axminster, focusing on reducing ultra-processed food consumption through community initiatives like cooking demonstrations and online classes. Raises concern about food insecurity affecting low-income households and suggests scaling up successful local projects across the country.
Ian Byrne
Ind
Liverpool West Derby
Congratulates hon. Member for Stroud on the debate, arguing that rising obesity rates are tied to social and economic changes rather than individual choices alone. Cites statistics showing increased affordability of unhealthy foods versus healthy options. Highlights community-led solutions in Liverpool such as free school meals and food co-operatives like Food for Thought to tackle food poverty and obesity.
Opher
Con
Stroud
Food is essential to life and cultural heritage but many families cannot afford it. There are community fridges that help people access food, which should not be necessary. The speaker highlighted the need for better wages and stable employment so that individuals can make healthy choices.
Alec Shelbrooke
Con
Wetherby and Easingwold
Not directly quoted but referenced positively by other speakers as having made a thoughtful contribution focusing on personal experience with food poverty issues.
Sharon Hodgson
Lab
Washington and Gateshead South
The speaker emphasised the importance of school meals in promoting health, equality, and reducing stigma. She noted inconsistencies in school meal standards' enforcement across schools, highlighting data that shows 60% of secondary schools do not follow these guidelines. The speech advocated for an auto-enrolment plan to ensure all eligible children receive free school meals, addressing barriers such as complex applications and low awareness.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
The speaker thanked the lead MP and others for their contributions. He recognised the power of personal stories in inspiring action and highlighted the ongoing need to address food poverty comprehensively.
Jim Shannon
DUP
N Down
Member shared personal experience of becoming a type 2 diabetic due to unhealthy eating habits, emphasised the importance of individuals taking responsibility for their health but acknowledged that some people cannot manage diabetes without assistance such as through gastric band operations. He highlighted statistics on obesity and its correlation with deprivation in Northern Ireland including figures showing significant increase in overweight or obese primary year 1 children in deprived areas between 2011-12 and 2018-19.
Beccy Cooper
Lab
Worthing West
Member echoed the importance of addressing obesity as a public health issue, stressed that this debate is not about fat-shaming but about health. She highlighted concerns around BMI being a limited metric and mentioned the need for a leptogenic environment which promotes healthy food choices and encourages physical activity. She discussed the challenges of making nutritious food accessible and affordable to all.
Stratford-on-Avon
The hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon highlighted the need to expand financial support schemes and free school meals, noting that children from low-income families do not have access to a nutritious diet, which affects their ability to learn and thrive.
Bayo Alaba
Lab
Southend East and Rochford
The hon. Member for Southend East and Rochford presented statistics showing the rise in childhood obesity rates in Southend, emphasising that poor diet and the cost of living crisis contribute significantly to this issue. He called for structural changes, such as a salt and sugar tax on food manufacturers.
Chris Webb
Lab
Blackpool South
The hon. Member for Blackpool South detailed high levels of obesity in his constituency and advocated for better access to healthy and affordable food, proposing local revitalisation initiatives and limiting fast-food outlets, while stressing the importance of food education.
Kirsteen Sullivan
Lab/Co-op
Bathgate and Linlithgow
Sullivan discussed her experiences as a councillor dealing with food insecurity and financial hardships. She highlighted the increasing obesity gap between deprived areas and others, mentioning that one in six Scots are on waiting lists due to diet-related health issues. Sullivan emphasised the disproportionate targeting of junk food advertisements towards lower-income communities and the lack of fresh fruit and vegetable shops compared to fast-food outlets.
Sonia Kumar
Lab
Dudley
Kumar stated that obesity is not a matter of personal choice but rather a result of systemic issues. She provided statistics showing that children in deprived areas are twice as likely to experience obesity compared to wealthier peers and noted the impact on mental health. Kumar called for systematic interventions including expanding the healthy start scheme, increasing food payments, reformulating products, supporting after-school activities, improving school food standards, creating safe green spaces, and designing urban environments that prioritise active travel.
Jim Dickson
Lab
Dartford
Calls for bold measures in line with Labour's manifesto, citing £6.5 billion spent annually on treating obesity-related ill health and £10 billion on diabetes. Supports the Government’s review of sugar tax and plans to ban advertisements for junk food aimed at children and sale of high-caffeine drinks to under-16s. Urges funding voucher schemes to replace unhealthy foods with fresh produce.
Andrew Cooper
Lab
Mid Cheshire
Highlights high levels of childhood obesity in Mid Cheshire, where over 38% of children are overweight. Discusses socioeconomic barriers and cost-of-living crisis impacting food choices. Emphasises health inequalities linked to obesity, noting £98 billion annual cost to UK economy including NHS treatment costs and lost productivity.
Peter Prinsley
Lab
Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
Highlights the increasing need for bariatric beds in hospitals compared to when he was a medical student, indicating societal changes in food consumption habits. Laments that hospitals now have food banks for staff.
John Slinger
Lab
Rugby
Agrees that the national curriculum review provides an opportunity for the Government to encourage and strengthen the healthy eating component of the relationships, sex and health education curriculum so young people can make healthier decisions.
Acknowledges the intervention but concludes his speech as he reached its end.
Helen Morgan
LD
North Shropshire
Highlights high obesity rates in rural areas and supports the Government's steps on junk food advertising, advocating for local authorities to restrict outdoor advertising near schools. Proposes different classifications for leisure centres as part of a healthy lifestyle infrastructure.
Opher
Ind
Stroud
Opened debate, discussing rise of obesity in UK since mid-20th century due to processed food and sedentary lifestyles. Cited statistics on adult and child obesity rates, highlighting medical complications like heart disease and diabetes.
Jas Athwal
Con
Ilford South
Emphasised human consequences of obesity, noting increased risk of death from COVID-19 for obese individuals. Highlighted maternal health issues and impact on family life.
Aphra Brandreth
Con
Chester South and Eddisbury
Discussed importance of time in addressing obesity, noting pressures faced by working parents to prepare healthy meals from scratch. Highlighted need for improved kitchen confidence among the public.
Chris Webb
Lab
Blackpool South
Supported nutritional education initiatives and praised local schools like Washingborough academy for their efforts in providing healthy school foods.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Asked the Minister about initiatives in each of the regions of Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales that could complement the policy driven from here. Suggested looking at regional policies to address local issues and improve overall effectiveness.
Andrew Gwynne
Lab
Denton and Reddish
Commented on the importance of access to healthy food depending on where people live, noting that children in less affluent areas see five times more fast-food outlets on their high streets. Emphasised strengthened national planning policy framework that gives local authorities clearer powers to block fast-food outlets near schools and where children congregate. Mentioned ongoing research into ultra-processed foods and clarified that porridge oats will not be banned under new regulations.
Opher
Lab
Birmingham Yardley
Summarized the debate, acknowledging its essential topic. Encouraged the Government to promote picking up tasty healthy snacks in supermarkets and urged for radical intervention rather than non-intervention.
Government Response
Acknowledged the debate's importance, highlighting challenges posed by obesity to health and economic productivity. Noted that Labour Government has acted on manifesto commitments but more work is needed. Discussed comprehensive measures including updating soft drinks industry levy, banning junk food ads targeting children from October this year, implementing a 9 pm TV watershed for advertising of less healthy foods, working with devolved Governments in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to implement public health measures, and strengthening the national planning policy framework. Addressed regional initiatives, evidence on ultra-processed foods, accessibility of healthier affordable food, stigma around obesity, and media reports regarding porridge oats being banned.
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Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
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