The Health Secretary has called for the nation to lose weight and save the NHS £100m.

Matt Hancock has explained that anyone who is clinically classed as overweight should lose at least five pounds to save lives and spare the NHS £100 million. 

The latest government strategy comes after last week’s announcement about a ban on advertising of unhealthy food before the watershed. 

Mr Hancock explains that coronavirus has been a ‘deadly wake-up call’ that Britain needs to tackle obesity. 

Obesity in the UK has steadily been increasing since the early 1990s, with figures estimating this now stands at over 60% of the population.

The UK has one of the highest levels of obesity in Europe, with almost two-thirds of adults being overweight or obese in England – figures are similar for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

One in three children in the UK are leaving primary school overweight while one in five are living with obesity, the government data explains. 

Research by Public Health England reported that obesity increases the risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19. 

Dr Alison Tedstone, Chief Nutritionist at Public Health England, said: “Losing weight can bring huge benefits for health – and may also help protect against the health risks of Covid-19. The case for action on obesity has never been stronger.”

The government has outlined their policy, entitled ‘Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives’ on their website, here. 

It explains that ‘COVID-19 has given us a wake-up call’ and that we should use this ‘to kick start our health, get active and eat better.’ 

The ‘Better Health‘ campaign promotes evidence-based tools and apps with advice on how to lose weight and keep it off. 

This will be supported by a 12-week weight loss plan app, ‘expansion’ of the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme and ‘continued’ support for those that need to lose weight.  

The policy also acknowledges that obesity is not just an individual’s effort, instead, it recognises the environment and subsequent information intake that navigate an individual’s choices. 

For this, the government turns to nutritional labelling, acknowledging the seven years that have passed since the ‘traffic light’ scheme was first introduced. 

The new legislation will require (large) cafes, takeaways and restaurants to provide calorie labels. They also intend to make companies provide calorie labelling on pre-packaged alcohol.

The policy also states that ‘the right information is important’ and looks to marketing tactics supermarkets use. 

Research shows that 43% of food and drink products located in prominent areas, such as checkouts and aisle ends, are sugary – with less than one per cent being fruit and veg. 

The government states they ‘will legislate to end promotion of HFSS products by volume’, for instance removing buy one get one free on high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) items. 

Similarly, to protect children, advertisements for HFSS products will be banned on TV before 9pm and consultations regarding online media will be taken. 

Director of Public Affairs at the Advertising Association, Sue Eustace, said the ‘extreme’ and ‘unnecessary’ measures will have ‘little effect’ on reducing obesity. 

Instead, she explains they will have ‘wide-ranging ramifications’ for food businesses and online publishers who are currently trying to recover from the pandemic and lockdown. 

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “This deadly virus has given us a wake-up call about the need to tackle the stark inequalities in our nation’s health, and obesity is an urgent example of this.

“If everyone who is overweight lost five pounds it could save the NHS more than £100 million over the next five years. And more importantly, given the link between obesity and coronavirus, losing weight could be life-saving.

“Obesity is one of the greatest long-term health challenges that we face as a country.”

Most health experts have welcomed the moves but state that the government need to go further in addressing the multiple factors that contribute to obesity.

For instance, Adam Briggs, of the Health Foundation think-tank, said economic and social factors such as poverty and unemployment ‘drive poor health and inequalities’.

He pointed out that public health budgets held by councils have been cut – falling year on year – by £700 million between 2014/15 to 2019/20. 

However, Chief Nutritionist at Public Health England explained that the ‘bold measures’ will ‘save lives’. 

Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “This is a landmark day for the nation’s health.

“Being overweight or obese puts people at risk of many diseases, including 13 different types of cancer, and disproportionately affects people from poorer backgrounds so the plan will hugely help to level-up the country and build a healthier population.”

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