Conclusions and Recommendations
1. The 2004 Health Survey for England showed
an overall rise in obesity amongst children aged 2-10 from 9.9
% in 1995 to 13.4% in 2004.
Despite the introduction of a specific PSA target in July 2004
aimed at tackling the growing problem of child obesity, the Departments
have been slow to react and have still not published key sections
of the Delivery Plan. The Departments need to increase the pace
of their response and improve their leadership by, for example,
appointing a senior, high profile champion, to lead and galvanise
activity.
2. The three Departments have set up a complex
delivery chain for tackling child obesity involving 26 different
bodies or groups of bodies. Our predecessors'
report on obesity identified confusion over roles and responsibilities
both between different departments and others charged with tackling
the problem.[2] This confusion
still exists. The Departments need to clarify responsibilities
throughout the delivery chain and introduce measures to judge
the performance and contribution of the respective parties, perhaps
similar to those under development for Local Area Agreements.
3. Parents have not been engaged; the only
initiative planned by the Departments that will directly target
parents and children is a social marketing campaign which will
not be launched until 2007. The campaign
should be started as soon as possible. It should present some
simple but high profile messages and advice to parents, children
and teachers, outlining the risks of obesity and show simple ways
in which children can make a difference to their lifestyles: for
example, the message that consuming one less chocolate biscuit
per day can help lead a child out of obesity (the Departments'
own example).
4. Despite embarking on a national programme
to measure children in all primary schools in England the Department
of Health is still not clear about whether parents should be informed
if their child is overweight or obese.
The Departments decided originally that to protect children from
stigmatisation and bullying, parents should not be informed. Reflecting
the Committee's concerns, however, the Department is now considering
how and when parents could be informed. The Department should
move quickly to disclose the information in ways that will help
parents to address the dietary and exercise needs of their children.
5. There is a delay of up to two years between
the Health Survey for England and publication of results, so Departments
do not currently know what progress is being made towards halting
the rise in child obesity. The Departments
should use the annual data from weighing and measuring in schools
as an interim measure of overall performance, determining where
most and least progress is being made and using this data to identify
factors which contribute to performance.
6. The Departments' strategy of working alongside
the food industry to influence its approach to the marketing of
foods and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar has not
been successful in changing the way the majority of unhealthy
foods are marketed. The Departments should
encourage the growth in the market for healthy food and drink
for children. For example, they could introduce an accreditation
scheme with readily identifiable badging and publicity material
which highlights those companies who are doing most to tackle
this issue.
7. Advertising for food high in fat, salt
and sugar accounts for 80-90% of all food advertising on television.
In November 2006 the Office of Communications (Ofcom) announced
new restrictions on the advertising of unhealthy foods. These
include a ban on advertisements for unhealthy foods "in and
around all programmes of particular appeal to children".
Ofcom should make arrangements with the Departments concerned
to monitor and assess the impact of the new restrictions and tighten
the restrictions if those now planned are found to be ineffective.
8. In 2003-2004, 72 new playing fields were
created against 52 lost and during the same period 131 swimming
pools were opened against the 27 that were closed.
Departments have made progress in encouraging children to lead
more active lifestyles, but there is scope for better targeting
at children's preferences and at localities and social groupings
with fewer opportunities. The Departments for Education and Skills
and for Culture, Media and Sport should encourage local authorities,
schools and other providers to develop more public facilities
such as lidos, and identify and prioritise those competitive and
other sports and physical activities that children are most likely
to take up.
2 Committee of Public Accounts, Ninth Report of Session
2001-02, Department of Health: Tackling Obesity in England,
HC 421; C&AG's Report, Tackling Obesity in England,
HC (2000-01) 220 Back
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