Celebrity chef criticises government’s response to the obesity crisis

Celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall called out the government’s poor response to tackle the UK obesity crisis during his appearance on BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

In response to news that Rishi Sunak delayed some of the government’s key anti-obesity policies until October 2025, Fearnley-Whittingstall raised his concerns with UK Health Secretary Victoria Atkins.

During the live discussion he said: “Treating obesity is the single biggest cost to the NHS.

“[There are] a raft of policies, of levers that you could be pulling to address the obesity crisis. You’re not pulling any of them. You’ve done next to nothing to help [the] ailing, struggling, sick citizens of the UK find healthier food.”

Atkins confirmed a commitment to tacking obesity, but as part of a wider strategy to prevent illness. She said: “I will be, over the coming weeks, setting out a prevention strategy, which of course will include obesity. 

“But we make the mistake I think of silo-ing obesity by itself. We know that it can have many, many other conditions, including causing type 2 diabetes.”

The government’s obesity strategy was launched in 2020 – promising a ban on junk food advertising before 9pm, restricting multibuy deals on foods and drinks high in fat, salt, or sugar, and banning online advertising for unhealthy food.

Rishi Sunak has since delayed many of the key ideas – citing harm to retailers during the current cost of living crisis as way of explanation.