News
APPG Holds its Inaugural General Meeting
9th October 2024
On Wednesday 9th October following Parliament’s return from recess, the APPG on Obesity was officially reconstituted in this new Parliament.
Mary Glindon MP will continue as Chair, alongside Baroness Jenkin, Baroness Walmsley and Yasmin Qureshi MP as Officers.
Members of the APPG are:
Rachael Maskell MP
Dr Beccy Cooper MP
Mary Kelly Foy MP
Sharon Hodgson MP
Lillian Jones MP
Lord Brooke
Lord Krebs
Lord Hampton
Lord McColl
Lord Dubs
Lord Rennard
Lord Blencathra
Baroness Hollins
Baroness Bennett
Baroness Goudie
Baroness Morgan
The registration form and income and expenditure statement can be found here and here. The APPG has been officially registered in the APPG Register, with the next version due for publication on 9th November.
APPG on Obesity Holds its Annual General Meeting
26th March 2024
On Tuesday 26th March, the APPG on Obesity held its Annual General Meeting. This session confirmed the Group’s status for another reporting year, and re-elected Mary Glindon MP as Chair of the Group. A full report of the meeting and income and expenditure statement can be found here and here.
APPG Holds Meeting to Discuss 2024 Work Programme
31st January 2024
On Wednesday 31st January, the APPG on Obesity held an all-stakeholder meeting with Officers, Strategic Council members and Industry Supporters to discuss the work programme for the APPG for 2024. Please find minutes for the meeting here.
APPG Holds its Annual General Meeting
2nd May 2023
On Tuesday 2nd May, the APPG on Obesity held its Annual General Meeting. This session confirmed the Group’s status for another reporting year, and re-elected Mary Glindon MP as Chair of the Group. A full report of the meeting can be found here.
APPG Launches Survey on Calorie Labelling
2nd November 2022
In July 2020 the UK Government released its obesity strategy. Two years on, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Obesity is keen to understand the impact and perception of the obesity strategy for the general public. A significant policy within the strategy has been the introduction of calorie labelling of food and drinks in restaurants and takeaway outlets with more than 250 employees. Smaller restaurant and takeaway outlets are also being encouraged to implement this policy. The APPG on Obesity is keen to identify what impact calorie labelling has had.
The findings of this survey will contribute to the APPG on Obesity’s understanding of the effectiveness of this current health policy and inform its ongoing work to ensure obesity is a top priority for government.
Please see the findings of the survey here.
Latest Report Launch: ‘The Role of Integrated Care Systems in Supporting People Living with Obesity’
19th July 2022
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity is pleased to release its latest report on the role of integrated care systems in supporting people living with obesity. This report was successfully launched at an event held by the APPG on the 19th July 2022.
This report highlights key findings from across the health sector regarding obesity; and outlines the key recommendations for ICS’ and policy makers to ensure that people living with obesity are supported.
To read the full report, click here.
Implementation Guidance for the Promotions and Placement Regulations
6th April 2022
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has published the implementation guidance for the upcoming Promotions and Placement Regulations that will come into force on the 1st October 2022.
The guidance document will help to illustrate how the provisions of the regulations work and should be applied and illustrate how the provisions of the Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 work.
A copy of the guidance can be found here.
A New Healthy Weight Coach ELearning Programme
11th November 2021
A new elearning tool has been developed by Health Education England in partnership with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
The ‘Healthy Weight Coach’ has been developed to help medical professionals working in primary care networks, pharmacies and health care practices engage with patients. The programme covers 8 areas, with each session lasting between 20 to 30 minutes:
The role of a healthy weight coach
The complexity of weight gain, obesity and weight management
Measuring and assessing a person’s weight
The outcomes associated with overweight, obesity and weight management
Healthy eating, drinking and physical activity
Avoiding weight stigma and challenging biases
Supporting behaviour change
How to communicate effectively
For more information and to access the tool, please visit the Healthy Weight Coach Programme page.
APPG Chair marks World Obesity Day
4th March 2021
Today marks World Obesity Day. World Obesity Day has long been a vital tool in promoting awareness and understanding of obesity and related issues, but the Covid-19 pandemic has given today’s event a unique importance.
The unprecedented crisis of the past year has made the need to address the issue of obesity clearer than ever. The pandemic has affected so many people’s lives, and the link between obesity and increased risk from Covid-19 has become undeniable. As a country, we must do more to prevent, manage and tackle obesity to ensure that such suffering does not occur again. As we look to the future in the post-pandemic world, the Government and policymakers must learn the lessons from this crisis and incorporate them into future public health policy.
Of course, obesity affects many different health issues beyond Covid-19. The impacts of obesity are seen in the treatment of conditions such as cancer, diabetes and liver failure, as well as in social care and mental health services. Beyond this, it has become clear that obesity is an important consideration for almost every aspect of our society, including education, productivity and employment. Our future approach must address all of these issues, and work to both prevent obesity and support people currently living with obesity.
I was pleased to see the Government dedicate attention to obesity issues in their recent White Paper. This legislation presents a vital opportunity to take forward the lessons learned during the pandemic. I am proud that the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity will be working to engage with these proposals through the legislative process, and to see how we may be able to use this opportunity to further tackle obesity issues and allow people to live longer, happier and healthier lives.
Mary Glindon MP is the Chair of the APPG on Obesity. She can be contacted at mary.glindon.mp@parliament.uk.
Mary Glindon’s article in The House Magazine
14th December 2020
The Chair of the APPG on Obesity, Mary Glindon MP wrote an article for The House Magazine outlining the recommendations made in the ‘Future of Obesity Services’ inquiry published in November 2020.
A copy of the article can be found here.
APPG on Obesity Inquiry – The Future of Obesity Services
October 2020
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Obesity is pleased to announced a new inquiry, ‘The Future of Obesity Services.’
The inquiry is seeking insights to support and maximise the implementation of the Government’s new obesity strategy for adults and children, focusing in particular on the planned expansion of weight management services. The APPG is keen to hear from expert individuals and organisations through a call for evidence on the next steps the Government should take to ensure the swift and broad implementation of its new proposals on obesity.
Please note the deadline for submissions to this inquiry is now closed. The subsequent report was published on 25th November 2020.
The APPG on Obesity’s Top Ten Policy Wish List
Thursday 23rd July 2020
In anticipation of the Government’s new plan for obesity, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity have developed a Top 10 Policy Wish List which will help support those living with obesity. The APPG believes that by enacting each of these policies, the Government will reduce obesity levels, improve the lives of those living with the condition, and help prevent severe illness caused by patients with obesity who had COVID-19.
Please find a copy of the wish list below:
The APPG on Obesity’s Position Statement
Wednesday 23rd July 2020
The APPG on Obesity Teleconference Meeting with William Warr, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister for Health, Social Care, Life Sciences & Technology
Thursday 4th June 2020
The APPG on Obesity met with William Warr, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister for Health, Social Care, Life Sciences & Technology, to discuss the Prime Minister’s renewed focus on obesity and the steps which should be taken to effectively prevent and treat obesity.
Mr Warr discussed new policy ideas with APPG officers and members of APPG on Obesity’s Strategic Council including Professor John Wass, University of Oxford and Susannah Howard, Suffolk and North East Essex ICS.
Baroness Jenkin’s interview for ARTE
Wednesday 27th May 2020
Baroness Anne Jenkin of Kennington, Vice-Chair of the APPG on Obesity, featured on French-German news channel, ARTE, regarding the UK’s current obesity policy.
Strategic Council Meeting: Teleconference Call
Thursday 21st May 2020
The APPG on Obesity’s Strategic Council met to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on those living with obesity, and input into APPG’s work programme moving forward. A brief summary of the discussion can be found below:
Introduction and background
COVID-19 – Update from the APPG on Obesity
General Discussion: Next Steps for the APPG
The impact of COVID-19 on the obesity space has been significant and there are several issues which should be considered by the APPG moving forward:
Mental health
Access to services
Capacity
Economic recovery
Health inequalities
Stigma
Delay of policy and ICS legislation
APPG on Obesity launches Parliamentary Guidelines
Monday 2nd March 2020
The APPG has endorsed and launched a set of guidelines designed to support Parliamentarians to speak openly and constructively about obesity, either in public or with constituents.
These guidelines have been produced by Dr Stuart W. Flint of the University of Leeds, Scaled Insights and Obesity UK. These guidelines have been reviewed by the APPG on Obesity and supported by the secretariat of the APPG on Obesity. The secretariat of the APPG on Obesity is funded by financial support provided by Novo Nordisk, Medtronic and Johnson & Johnson. These companies have had no influence over the content.
A copy of the guidelines can be found here, and a longer supporting document is available here.
BBC Documentary - Who Are You Calling Fat? October 2019
Former APPG Co-Chair Eleanor Smith MP and current Co-Chair Baroness Walmsley took part in the BBC’s Who Are You Calling Fat? More information about the programme is available here.
Eleanor Smith MP - Letter to The Times, July 2019
Former Co-Chair of the APPG on Obesity, Eleanor Smith MP, sent a letter to The Times today discussing the issues of junk food advertising, sugar tax and obesity/weight management training. As she rightly says, ‘unless obesity is discussed - it cannot be treated.’ Read the full letter below:
Leeds Lowers The Level of Childhood Obesity
In May, it was announced at the European Congress on Obesity that Leeds had managed to reduce the number of children who are significantly overweight. The data - compiled from a official school measuring programme - showed there had been a 6.4% fall in obesity rates over recent years.
What was particularly impressive was the fact that the biggest falls have been seen among the most deprived areas. Rates of obesity fell by nearly 9% in some of the worst off neighbourhoods in the city.
The city council developed a child-obesity strategy a decade ago that made this age group a key priority.
Staff who work with pre-school children, including children's centres workers and health visitors, were trained to promote healthy eating. On top of that, parenting classes encouraged healthy snacking, eating as a family and the importance of cooking nutritious meals from scratch.
This rare sign of progress in a field usually dominated by negative headlines is proof of the work which can be done to reverse current obesity traits. The APPG on Obesity commends the preventative work being carried out in Leeds and and will continue to call on Government to take a new approach to tackle obesity through prevention and treatment.
The APPG on Obesity responds to Government consultation
The All-Party Parliamentary Group have submitted a response to the Government’s consultation on restricting promotions of products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) by location and price. The consultation sought views on:
Restricting volume-based price promotions of HFSS food and drink that encourage people to buy more than they need
Restricting the placement of HFSS food and drink at main selling locations in stores
Definitions for HFSS products, price promotions and locations in stores
How businesses can put this into practice and whether they will face any difficulties
The All-Party Parliamentary Group welcomes this important consultation and agrees that the restrictions suggested in this consultation should apply to all retail businesses in England that sell food and drink products, including franchises. Having said that, the response also reiterates the need for a whole systems approach to the obesity issue; one that engages with the whole obesity pathway, from prevention right through to treatment.
Please find the consultation response here.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care publishes his speech at the APPG’s International Conference on Obesity
Please see here a link to the speech given by Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, at the APPG’s International Conference on January 14th 2019. The APPG is grateful to the Secretary of State for giving his time to speak at the meeting.
Eleanor Smith MP, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity, discussed her thoughts on obesity following the International Conference on Obesity. Watch it here:
Fizz Free February
Today marks the start of Fizz Free February, a project launched by Southwark Council to try and get people to reduce their sugar intake by cutting out fizzy drinks. Fizzy drinks are the largest single source of sugar for children aged 11-18, and they provide an average of 29% of daily sugar intake.
Sign up to Fizz Free February to develop new habits to make it easier to cut down on fizzy drinks for the rest of the year.
Letter to the National Union of Journalists
On 6th April 2018, an open letter was sent to the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in an attempt to work collaboratively on improving the current media portrayal of obesity. This letter was supported by a range of health organisations and professional bodies, as well as UK university departments and research groups.
Weight stigma and discrimination has been highlighted in UK media on several occasions, and there are calls for media portrayal to be improved. In May 2018, the APPG on Obesity launched its inquiry findings from ‘The current landscape of obesity services’ which highlighted the commonality of weight stigma and discrimination experiences. With research evidence highlighting the associated health decrements of these experiences, reducing weight stigma and discrimination and improving the portrayal of people with overweight and obesity is a priority for many healthcare practitioners and academics.
Despite contacting the National Union of Journalists on three separate occasions, a response has not been received. Dr Stuart W. Flint, Senior Research Fellow at Leeds Beckett University, will be making continued attempts to contact the National Union of Journalists, with the intention of working together with the NUJ to improve the portrayal of overweight and obesity in the media. This letter is shared here for information.
You can find a copy of the letter here.
APPG Chair Andrew Selous MP Backs Plans for Energy Drink Ban
Obesity All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Chair Andrew Selous has backed plans by the Government for a ban on the sale of energy drinks to children.
Andrew Selous MP said:
“Parents and teachers are clear that high-caffeine, high-sugar drinks can lead children to be unfocused, disruptive and hyperactive, and can cause health problems including head and stomach aches, and obesity. Some retailers already ban sales of energy drinks to young people, but others allow children to buy four 250ml cans of energy drinks for just £1.
“Industry labelling guidelines already mean drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre have to carry a warning label about their unsuitability for children – but I agree with the Government, and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, that now is the time to step in and limit access for all children. In our recent report, we called for a national obesity strategy to bring together these plans and policies to tackle both adult and childhood obesity.”
Obesity Statistics
27% of adults in England have obesity. A further 36% are overweight. A new Parliamentary briefing provides statistics on obesity among adults and children in the UK, along with data on prescriptions, surgery, and international comparisons.
18th January 2018
Source: http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN03336/SN03336.pdf.
Please see the full report here.
PHOTOS: First full meeting of the APPG
28th November 2017
The All-Party Group held its first full meeting of the year after its AGM, with Maggie Throup MP chairing, supported by Eleanor Smith MP and Baroness Jenkin of Kennington, vice chairs.
The speakers were:
Dr Jenifer Smith, who is running a programme at Public Health England to make obesity and diabetes services accessible through technology.
Dr Matt Capehorn, head of the Rotherham Institute for Obesity.
Dr Alexander Miras, clinical senior lecturer in metabolic medicine at Imperial College London and consultant endocrinologist.
Paul Stevenson, a patient speaker with an inspiring story.
The minutes will be available on this page shortly.
Obesity APPG Chair speaks at IFSO Conference
Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity, Maggie Throup MP, spoke at the World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders in London, the global annual gathering of bariatric and metabolic surgery experts. She joined figures such as the national clinical director for obesity and diabetes, Prof Jonathan Valabhji, to respond to presentations by renowned clinicians such as Prof Rachel Batterham, Prof Francesco Rubino and Mr Richard Welbourn, consultant surgeon and world congress president for IFSO 2017.
Ms Throup, who has a background in healthcare, spoke of the importance of changing attitudes towards the obese, with the aim of saving money and improving quality of life.
Speaking at IFSO, Maggie Throup MP said:
“We have already heard of CCGs restricting treatment to those who smoke or are overweight, and too many professionals still think obesity is purely a lifestyle choice.
“It is the responsibility of legislators such as myself to challenge these attitudes and get the message over that obesity is a disease which can be treated. I know from my career in healthcare that the silo culture in the NHS hasn't changed in many years, and people can't see that when you spend money in one area, you save it in another.
“It isn't just politicians that have the mindset that obese patients do not deserve treatment, but much of the public as well, and we need to challenge that.”