The Association for the Study of Obesity has joined more than 65 health organisations, medical royal colleges, campaign groups, academics and patient voices in signing an open letter to the Chancellor, coordinated by the Obesity Health Alliance.
The letter urges the Government to protect evidence-based policies that support healthier food environments and help deliver the ambition of the NHS 10-Year Health Plan to shift from sickness to prevention.
ASO supports a whole-system approach to obesity prevention and treatment, recognising that obesity is shaped by complex biological, social, commercial and environmental factors. Improving the food environment is an important part of this wider approach, particularly for children and families living in the most deprived communities, who are often most exposed to less healthy food environments and face the greatest barriers to accessing affordable, nutritious food.
The OHA-led letter calls on ministers to take three immediate steps:
- publish a formal consultation on mandatory health reporting before the summer recess, with a commitment to implementation next year across all relevant sectors
- introduce legislation for the Healthy Food Standard, including mandatory reporting and mandatory health targets, within this Parliament
- apply the updated Nutrient Profiling Model to advertising and promotions restrictions, with a clear and defensible mechanism for implementation, ensuring this does not delay progress on the Healthy Food Standard
The letter highlights concern that delaying or weakening these measures would undermine efforts to improve population health, reduce health inequalities and support the long-term sustainability of the NHS.
Professor Emilie Combet, President of the Association for the Study of Obesity, said:
“Obesity is a complex, chronic condition influenced by the environments in which people live, work and grow up. If we are serious about prevention, we need policies that make healthier options more accessible, affordable and available, particularly for children and families facing the greatest inequalities. Delaying evidence-based measures to improve the food environment would be a false economy and risks widening existing health inequalities.”
ASO believes that improving the food environment should sit alongside wider action on prevention, treatment, research, clinical services and the social determinants of health. Policies to support healthier food environments are not a substitute for access to compassionate, evidence-based obesity care, but they are an important part of reducing population-level risk and supporting better health outcomes.
The Government’s own analysis has estimated significant long-term health and economic benefits from applying the updated Nutrient Profiling Model, including reductions in childhood and adult obesity. The proposed Healthy Food Standard would also help create a more consistent approach across large food businesses, supporting healthier sales and reducing costs to society and the NHS.
ASO welcomes the OHA’s leadership on this issue and supports the call for urgent, evidence-informed action to help create healthier environments for everyone.
Read the full OHA letter and find out more here.
