MPs will examine ways that the Government could intervene in the
food system to reduce rates of obesity, and will look at which
previous policies have and haven't worked, and why.
A first panel of witnesses includes broadcaster and author
Professor Chris van Tulleken, and experts from Nesta, the Health
Action Research Group and City St George's
University.
There may be questions around how the Government can help the
public understand the various definitions around “healthy” or
“unhealthy” food, whether it could take a more holistic approach
to giving advice about a healthy diet, and the level of
understanding of ‘ultra-processed foods'.
Witnesses are likely to be asked about interventions that
government could make to incentivise healthy shopping choices and
reduce the consumption of unhealthy products, such a food
labelling, restrictions on advertising or volume promotions like
‘buy one get one free', and how standards can be enforced.
In the second half of this session, the Committee will question
experts on the outcomes of specific policies, including the
‘sugar tax' on soft drinks, the forthcoming 9pm watershed on TV
adverts, and what approach the Government could take towards
‘brand advertising', as opposed to advertising for specific
products.
The latest available research on obesity rates (from 2022) showed
that 28% of adults in England were living with obesity and a
further 36% were overweight, making a total of 64% who were
living with excess weight. This total figure was up from 53% in
1993.
Witnesses from 9.30am:
- Professor Chris van Tulleken, Professor of Infection and
Global Health, University College London
- Professor Christina Vogel, Director, Centre for Food Policy,
City St George's University of London
- Hugo Harper, Director of Health, Nesta
- Michael Baber, Director, Health Action Research Group
From 10.30:
- Katharine Jenner, Executive Director, Obesity Health
Alliance
- Nika Pajda, Head of Policy and Research, Bite Back
- Dr Kawther Hashem, Senior Lecturer in Public Health
Nutrition, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary
University London
