RCP response to APPG on Obesity inquiry on improving prevention and treatment of obesity

Summary

In the response, we highlight the need to support people to make healthier choices by: 

• closing existing loopholes to restrict children’s exposure to junk food marketing across all the media they are exposed to.
• ensuring everyday food is healthier by incrementally reducing sugar, saturated fat and salt as well as overall calories
• protecting the UK’s use of traffic light nutrition labelling on front-of-packs as part of EU negotiations and future trade deal agreements
• committing to increased and continued investment in public health budgets to ensure that people are supported to reduce their weight and the continuation of the National Childhood Measurement Programme.

Access to obesity treatment services should also be improved by:

• ensuring Local Authorities commit to providing and signposting to appropriate weight management services.
• NHS England should reiterate that access to NHS bariatric surgical treatment should be based on clinical need and must be uniform across the UK.

Summary

For more information please contact our public affairs department by email at publicaffairs@rcplondon.ac.uk.