Tackling Obesity — [Peter Dowd in the Chair]

Discussed the link between poverty and obesity, highlighting that 67% of adults in Scotland are overweight and a third of children at risk. Emphasised the Scottish Government's initiatives to mitigate health inequalities such as providing free prescriptions, school meals, childcare, period products, university education, and bus travel for those under 22 and over 60.

Mr Selous highlighted the UK's poor diet compared to European nations, citing a report stating that over half of dietary energy in the UK comes from highly processed foods. He noted that £300 million was spent on unhealthy food advertising annually, while only £16 million per day went towards promoting fruit and vegetables. Only 31% of adults meet the five-a-day recommendation for fruits and vegetables, a challenge particularly severe among teenagers where it falls to just 8%. Mr Selous also advocated for children learning to cook properly and recommended eliminating misleading packaging labels such as 'natural' or 'organic'. He suggested that businesses should include health considerations alongside environmental, social, and governance factors. Additionally, he called for clearer calorie information in restaurants and praised local markets and supermarkets providing fresh produce at good prices.

Fleur Anderson highlighted the issue of childhood obesity, noting that two in every five children in England are overweight or obese by the time they finish primary school. She mentioned specific statistics from Wandsworth Borough Council where 20% of reception-age children and 37.7% of year 6 children are overweight or living with obesity. Anderson emphasised the need for early intervention, continuation of support through secondary education, tackling takeaway shops near schools, promoting healthy eating through programmes like Bags of Taste, and implementing initiatives such as the Daily Mile.

Commends the right hon. Gentleman for securing the debate, highlights that 65% of adults in Northern Ireland are obese according to the Department of Health, stresses the need for a consultation on making healthier food more affordable, and suggests partnership with the agrifood sector as well as the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.

Ms Throup highlighted the rising obesity rates, with 30% of adults and 25% of children starting school being obese or overweight. She stressed the need for government intervention to curb unhealthy food advertising aimed at children, noting that top food manufacturers spend significant amounts on online ads associated with childhood obesity.

Ms. Preet Kaur Gill highlighted the obesity epidemic, noting that over 60% of people are overweight and one in four children in England is obese by primary school age. She criticised the government's approach to tackling obesity, arguing for measures beyond simply providing information on nutrition. Ms. Gill also raised concerns about the delay in implementing policies on junk food advertising and questioned the Government's commitment to halving childhood obesity rates by 2030.

Ms Dyke praised the soft drinks levy for reducing sugar levels in soft drinks by 46% since its introduction in 2016. She highlighted that it has prevented about 5,000 cases of obesity among year 6 girls and reduced hospital admissions for tooth decay. Ms Dyke argued that blaming individuals does not work and called for a food system prioritising health over cost and supporting local farmers. She proposed restrictions on junk food advertising, public sector procurement strategies benefiting local producers, and empowering local authorities to develop tailored strategies.

Stephen Timms acknowledges the importance of tackling obesity and its impact on society, citing research that demonstrates an increase in unhealthy food consumption among children. He highlights that many people struggle to afford healthy options and calls for policies to address this issue.