15
Sep 2020
Government action to fight child obesity ‘risks losing its way’
A report by the National Audit Office warns that government attempts to fight child obesity risk getting lost in reorganisation and delays, adding that 20 years of policies and targets have had limited success and new initiatives may also fall short.
The report points to a lack of coordination and urgency, at a time when child obesity problems are worsening in parts of the UK.
Britain currently has one of the highest rates of child obesity in Europe, with a fifth of ten to eleven year olds obese, according to latest figures for England.
Obese children are highly likely to become obese adults, which brings significant health risks.
A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said “We are determined to tackle obesity across all ages and we have already taken significant action – cutting sugar from half of drinks on sale, funding exercise programmes in schools and working with councils to tackle child obesity locally.
“We are also taking bold action through out new and ambitious obesity strategy, to help families make healthy choices.”
However, Dr Layla McCay from the NHS Confederation, said the government had not appeared to learn from the failures of past efforts.
“This is such an important moment for effective action but it risks becoming lost amidst reorganisation and delays.
“At a time when obesity is in the spotlight for putting people with Covid-19 at greater risk of needing hospital admission or intensive care it has never been clearer that an effective approach is needed.”
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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.
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