The government's strategy is likely to be a missed opportunity to address the root causes of obesity The Health Foundation response to the government's new obesity strategy

Commenting on details of the government’s obesity strategy, Adam Briggs, Senior Policy Fellow at the Health Foundation, said:
 
'Today's announcement includes some positive steps to tackle obesity in the UK, but the government's strategy is likely to be a missed opportunity to provide everyone with an equal chance of living a healthy life. A commitment to restrict price promotions and advertising of unhealthy food is welcome, but there is little sign of policies that will address the root causes of obesity.  
 
'A credible strategy would go further to modify the environment and the circumstances in which we live – the multiple factors that shape whether we can be active or eat healthily. It would acknowledge the role of economic and social factors like poverty and unemployment that drive poor health and inequalities, and the impact of year-on-year cuts to local authority budgets. It would use the range of powerful levers that the government has at its disposal to implement evidence-based practical solutions – from more space for cycling and walking to restricting fast food outlets near schools – which have broad public support. 
 
'Many of today's announcements are not new ideas – they have been included in previous childhood obesity plans but never implemented. Too much time has already been lost, we must now see decisive action.'

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