Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: One Year on
This week the Government published its report Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: One Year On. This report examines the progress that has been made on reducing obesity over the past year and sets targets to go further in 2009. Last year the Government set itself the target of being the first major nation to reverse the rising tide of obesity in the population by ensuring that everyone is able to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
As part of the report the Government has been looking at how it can build on the successes of Change4Life and has set the following aims for 2009:
• Extend Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives (HWHL) to include at risk adults.
• Inspire 200,000 families to change their behaviour through the Change4Life social marketing campaign.
• Provide new content and tools to help people assess and manage their lifestyle through the NHS website.
HWHL also states that whilst the Government currently supports the voluntary efforts of the food industry, they will consider moving towards mandatory measures if they feel that this is not being achieved.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “ACS is working closely with DH to deliver an ambitious programme of social change through voluntary partnership. The Change4life convenience store project is a flagship of the programme and ACS is glad to Chair its work. We are sure that this voluntary approach is the most effective. We caution against any move towards mandatory restrictions that often impose cost and red tape.”