LGA responds to Government Food Strategy

Commenting on the publication of the Government’s response to the National Food Strategy, Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board said:

“Obesity and diet-related health issues are one of the biggest public health challenges we face, with the cost of treating obesity-related ill health forecast to rise to £9.7 billion a year by 2050.

“The strategy response represents a missed opportunity to tackle the underlying causes of many of these issues, which will continue to be exacerbated by the growing cost of living crisis. Unless the government takes urgent action, its ambition to halve childhood obesity by 2030 will be missed.

“One of the ways these challenges can be met is for the Government to expand access to and availability of Healthy Start Vouchers to ensure more families on low incomes can access fresh fruit and vegetables as well as expanding access and increasing the eligibility criteria of Free School Meals to include all children who are facing food insecurity.

“We are urging the Government to act now to ensure healthy food remains affordable to those who need it the most to protect the most vulnerable in our society.”