Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 6
6
We are disappointed to learn that there have been no reviews of the effectiveness of...
Recommendation
We are disappointed to learn that there have been no reviews of the effectiveness of the current or previous obesity strategies, and we cannot support much-criticised and unevaluated weight-loss policies. The Government must only use evidence- based policies in its Obesity Strategy. The Government should urgently commission an independent review of its Obesity Strategy to determine the evidence base for its policies within 3 months. It should publicly report the findings of this review within six months. We are disappointed to learn that there have been no reviews of the effectiveness of the current or previous obesity strategies, and we cannot support much-criticised and unevaluated weight-loss policies. The Government must only use evidence-based policies in its Obesity Strategy. (Paragraph 49) A positive body image for future generations
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) overarching, peer-reviewed evaluation strategy for the childhood obesity programme aims to maximise learning and feedback from what are clearly innovative interventions as well as supporting a wider programme of more cross-cutting research that will help us understand more about the systems that sustain and promote obesity and how ordinary people, particularly those from more deprived circumstances, are responding to our policies. Resources for the evaluation strategy come from a range of sources including the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), a flexible programme budget and by influencing and co-ordinating wider research activity conducted by academic and health systems collaborators. As the DHSC’s work extends to address adult obesity through its Weight Management Programme of investment and evidence building, this approach will be reviewed and refreshed to take on this wider scope. The policies in our strategy are informed by the latest research and emerging independent and peer reviewed evidence, and debates in Parliament and various reports from key stakeholders including the Health and Social Care Select Committee. We have also captured analysis from the NIHR Obesity Policy Research Unit,22 which was established in 2017 as part of our initial childhood obesity plan,23 and is funded to carry out policy related research until the end of 2023. The NIHR has committed to launch commissioning calls to evaluate policies contained within the obesity strategy which could include research to understand and mitigate possible negative consequences. Alongside this, we have been careful to consider the views of stakeholders and experts, including mental health charities, as we developed our plans for implementing the strategy and we will continue to listen going forwards. This includes feedback from a wide range of experts in response to our public consultations on specific policy proposals. We have seen some important successes since publication of chapter one of the childhood obesity plan in 2016, including the average sugar content of drinks subject to the soft drinks industry levy decreasing by 43.7% between 2015 and 2019. There has also been success in some categories of the sugar reduction programme including around a 13% reduction of sugar in breakfast cereals, yogurts and fromage frais.24 The high prevalence of obesity in adults and children has been decades in the making. It is going to take time to see results.