Select Committee · Health and Social Care Committee

The impact of body image on mental and physical health

Status: Closed Opened: 1 Dec 2021 Closed: 6 Feb 2023 19 recommendations 7 conclusions 1 report

MPs will examine the relationship between people’s perception of their body image and their physical and mental health. They will consider how far people’s perception of body image can hinder access to NHS services and whether NHS training and Government messaging should be altered. Learn more about our work.

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - The impact of body image on mental and phys… HC 114 2 Aug 2022 26 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

10 items
7 Recommendation Second Report - The impact of body imag… Deferred

Develop national eating disorder strategy, increase funding, and address regional inequalities in care.

We recommend that the Government develops a national eating disorder strategy that aims to understand the causal mechanisms that lead to the development of eating disorders and earmarks adequate funding to bolster existing services as well as to increase investment in research. We further recommend that alongside the quarterly publication …

Government response. The government's response entirely focused on Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs) and anabolic steroid use, outlining work by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), instead of addressing the recommendation for a national eating disorder strategy, research, funding, and addressing regional inequalities in …
Department of Health and Social Care
8 Recommendation Second Report - The impact of body imag… Deferred

Commission national review of anabolic steroid use and launch safe use awareness campaign.

We recommend that the Department commissions a national review of the growing use of anabolic steroids in England as it relates to body image. We further recommend that the Department introduces a national awareness campaign around safe anabolic steroid use. This ought to be coordinated through existing steroid user support …

Government response. The government's response largely deflected the recommendation for a national review and awareness campaign on anabolic steroid use, instead focusing on the Online Advertising Programme (OAP) and its consideration of advertisements that contribute to body image concerns, and engagement with …
Department of Health and Social Care
9 Recommendation Second Report - The impact of body imag… Deferred

Introduce legislation to mandate a logo label for all digitally altered commercial body images.

We call on the Government to work with advertisers to feature a wider variety of body aesthetics, and work with industry and the ASA to encourage advertisers and influencers not to doctor their images. We believe the Government should introduce legislation that ensures commercial images are labelled with a logo …

Government response. The government acknowledges the issue and commits to collaborating with other departments to gather robust evidence on screen time's impact before deciding whether to progress with a nationwide public health campaign. It does not commit to working with advertisers or …
Department of Health and Social Care
11 Recommendation Second Report - The impact of body imag… Deferred

Integrate body image training into medical, nursing, and parent-interacting professional programmes within two years.

We urge Health Education England, the General Medical Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council to collaborate with third sector organisations that are currently educating people about, and promoting awareness of, body image issues, and after a period of assessment, integrate the most effective existing training and resources into all training …

Government response. The government's response does not address the recommendation to integrate body image training into medical, nursing, and midwifery curricula. Instead, it discusses the lack of plans for nationally required annual holistic health and wellbeing assessments and the existing health visiting …
Department of Health and Social Care
14 Recommendation Second Report - The impact of body imag… Deferred

Implement population-level policies to tackle obesity and immediately restrict unhealthy food multibuy deals.

We urge the Government to implement population-level policies that ensure healthier choices and lifestyles are made a priority in tackling obesity rates, rather than schemes that focus solely on weight loss and can engender weight stigma and result in adverse health outcomes. We were disappointed by the Government’s delay in …

Government response. The government deflects the recommendation by detailing the National Institute for Health Research's (NIHR) existing portfolio of research on weight management and policy evaluations, and states that NIHR welcomes funding applications for various health topics but does not ring-fence funds.
Department of Health and Social Care
15 Conclusion Second Report - The impact of body imag… Deferred

Obesity reduction requires tackling weight stigma alongside improving population health.

Throughout the inquiry, we have been aware of the importance and complexities involved in tackling obesity rates to improve population health and reducing weight stigma to not perpetuate mental and physical health issues.

Government response. The government's response discusses the introduction of a licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, including the scope of work and a plan for delivery by July 2023, but does not address the committee's conclusion regarding the importance of tackling obesity …
Department of Health and Social Care
16 Recommendation Second Report - The impact of body imag… Deferred

Integrate weight stigma training into healthcare curricula and review obesity campaign language.

We recommend that the Government undertakes an urgent review of its current campaigns related to obesity and alters any language or media used that fail to 36 The impact of body image on mental and physical health mention being underweight is as big a risk as being overweight. We also …

Government response. The government's response details guidance for doctors offering non-surgical cosmetic procedures and the importance of informed patient choice, but does not address the recommendation to review obesity campaigns for language or integrate weight stigma training into medical, nursing, and allied …
Department of Health and Social Care
17 Recommendation Second Report - The impact of body imag… Deferred

Fund research into tackling obesity, eliminating weight stigma, and weight-neutral interventions.

There needs to be further research to establish how best to tackle obesity while eliminating weight stigma and discrimination, and to establish the efficacy of weight- neutral interventions, and we recommend that the National Institute for Health Research put aside funding for this purpose. (Paragraph 97) Non-surgical cosmetic procedures

Government response. The government's response outlines plans to consider specific premises standards for non-surgical cosmetic procedures and work with the CQC to ensure consistency, but does not address the recommendation for the National Institute for Health Research to fund research on tackling …
Department of Health and Social Care
19 Conclusion Second Report - The impact of body imag… Deferred

Vulnerable individuals lack sufficient time to consider non-surgical cosmetic procedure decisions.

The dangers posed by non-surgical cosmetic procedures in vulnerable groups have been evident throughout the inquiry. The new licensing regime provides an opportunity to ensure that anyone planning to undertake a non-surgical cosmetic procedure has the time and space to consider their decision, and weigh up the risks and benefits. …

Government response. The government explained the current regulation of dermal fillers as products by the MHRA, mentioning that the MHRA intends to introduce more stringent rules for aesthetic and non-medical products, but stated there are no plans to make dermal fillers prescription-only.
Department of Health and Social Care
22 Recommendation Second Report - The impact of body imag… Deferred

Minimum education and training standards for non-surgical cosmetic practitioners are currently lacking.

We are convinced that there is a need for a minimum standard to be met in regards to the education and training of practitioners who perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures. It is essential to ensure patient safety, and thus should be a central pillar of a future licensing regime. The Professional …

Government response. The government agrees on the need for suitable training and nationally recognised standards for non-surgical cosmetic practitioners. They will work with stakeholders, including JCCP, to consider whether further education and training requirements are necessary, rather than committing to a specific …
Department of Health and Social Care

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
17 May 2022 Charles King, lived experience witness, Dr Angela Meadows · University of Essex, Gillian Keegan MP · Department for Education, Helen James · Nutriri, Tam Fry · National Obesity Forum, Zoe Seager · Department of Health and Social Care View ↗
26 Apr 2022 Ashton Collins · Save Face, Kim Booker, lived experience witness, Lucy Thorpe · Mental Health Foundation, Malcolm Phillips · Advertising Standards Authority, Professor David Sines · Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners - The JCCP, Professor James McVeigh · Manchester Metropolitan University, Professor Jean McHale · University of Birmingham View ↗
8 Mar 2022 Alex Light, Journalist and Influencer, Dr Georgina Krebs · University College London, Dr Stuart Flint · University of Leeds, James Brittain-McVey, Lead Guitarist in the Vamps and Campaigner, Nyome Nicholas-Williams, Model and Activist, Professor Heather Widdows · University of Birmingham, Professor Sandeep Ranote · Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership View ↗

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
8 Jun 2022 Correspondence from the Minister of State for Care and Mental Health following …