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This package of policies would not have a sufficient impact on obesity rates, despite being beneficial for other goals.
Past governments have adopted ineffective approaches to tackling obesity, focusing on policies that place the onus for change on the individual rather than seeking to address the systemic causes of worsening diets in our food environment. This approach has been characterised by policies prioritising information provision, physical exercise, voluntary commitments and provision of services delivering education.
This policy package demonstrates a strategy that is likely to be insufficient for effectively tackling obesity. It combines several policies seeking to raise public awareness and increase education while allocating funding for schemes aiming to increase physical activity and access to fruits and vegetables, or other nutritious meals to select segments of the population. While these policies are valuable for their broader positive population health and social impacts, they will not be sufficient to impact national obesity rates.
11 included policies:
Enforce provision of front-of-pack labelling, similar to Nutri-Score, on retail packaging
Front-of-pack nutrition labelling is a commonly suggested policy aiming to provide consumers with more, easily accessible information about the healthiness of their food. From existing labelling systems, Nutri-Score has been evaluated as being one of the most effective. Compared to other broader prevention policies, the impact is low.
Allocate £100 million per year to improve provision of physical education and increase physical activity in school children
Physical activity contributes to several physical and emotional benefits for children and its provision should be increased nationally in an equitable manner. However, in the context of obesity, it does not address the core dietary causes of excess weight and there is strong evidence that increasing physical education in school does not improve obesity outcomes.
Restrict the opening of new fast food restaurants within 400m of schools
Regulating the number and location of takeaway food outlets is becoming a crucial strategy in UK nutrition and health policies, especially for tackling childhood obesity. While this policy will be impactful in preventing the worsening of food environments, without closing existing outlets it will do little to address currently high levels of obesity.
Invest a further £500 million over five years in local authorities to plan and deliver active transport through Active Travel England (or equivalent in Devolved Administrations)
Increasing investment in active transport initiatives may increase the amount of physical activity people engage in. However, it carries significant costs and has negligible impact on national obesity prevalence as it does not address any broader environmental influences on diets.
Mandate the inclusion of health-based standards in catering contracts that serve public spaces
Catering companies are instrumental in the food environments of public spaces like hospitals, prisons, probation services, and residential care. Regulated health standards in these spaces are valuable, however, their contribution to overall diets is low, meaning improvements will not significantly impact population obesity rates.
Continued universal BMI monitoring for children in reception and year 6
Collecting data to monitor trends in childhood obesity is vital. However given the high costs and low impact on obesity outcomes, governments should consider monitoring a representative sample of the child population and use the savings to fund evidence based solutions for obesity.
Fund and roll out a mass media campaign aiming to promote healthy eating
Numerous mass media campaigns for various causes have been implemented by governments globally. Some have been effective at increasing visibility or awareness of an issue. Few, if any, have resulted in sustained population behaviour change that translates to positive health outcomes.
Allocate £100 million per year to improve nutrition and food preparation literacy in childhood through the state education system
Increasing nutrition and diet education for children is often seen as highly effective for curbing obesity. In reality, the funding required to administer a sufficient ‘dose’ of education to create behaviour change that is sustained throughout the life course at a population level is unfeasible, making this policy insufficient.
Allocate £100 million per year to fund a programme of financial incentives to improve health behaviours in local authorities with the highest obesity rates
Targeted financial incentive schemes could be used to encourage healthy eating and physical exercise in the most at-need areas. The policy requires significant funding, and modelling suggests that, even at this level of funding, impacts on obesity prevalence are likely to be low.
Provide business rates relief of 75% to new or expanded businesses selling fresh fruit and vegetables
Many people in the UK live in areas where there is limited access to fresh and affordable food. This policy may be valuable in increasing access to healthy food in deprived areas by reducing the barriers to new stores opening. However, current evidence suggests little impact on health outcomes.
Introduce universal free healthy school meals for all primary school children during term time
State-maintained schools and academies are currently required to provide free school meals to disadvantaged pupils; this policy would expand this offer to all primary school children during term time. This policy may be valuable in increasing access to nutritious food for young children. Evidence suggests this policy would have a lower impact on national obesity rates compared to other policies.