Obesity Health Alliance unveils 10-year plan to tackle rising obesity rates

The Obesity Health Alliance has launched its ambitious 10-year strategy, "Turning the Tide: A 10-Year Healthy Weight Strategy," aimed at reversing the rising levels of obesity across the UK.

Over the past three decades, obesity rates have surged, with previous government efforts to curb the trend proving largely ineffective. However, the Alliance believes that a comprehensive, system-wide approach can foster a healthier society where people of all ages, backgrounds, and ethnicities can achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

The new strategy, shaped by leading experts from academic, policy, clinical, and civil society fields, sets out 30 evidence-based recommendations. These span areas like food and drink marketing, early years interventions, treatment approaches, and essential infrastructure to ensure that policies are effectively implemented and evaluated.

The strategy is built on the belief that a long-term, coordinated plan is essential to make a meaningful impact on obesity levels. It emphasises the need for policies that create healthier living environments, reduce health inequalities, and make healthier choices easier for everyone. The strategy also places less emphasis on individual responsibility and more on addressing societal and environmental factors driving obesity.

Key recommendations include healthier, more accessible food and drinks with appropriate portion sizes and clear nutritional labeling and improved environments that encourage physical activity and make healthy food the default, affordable option. The alliance also suggests that stronger regulations on food and drink advertising will promote healthier diets and the need for accessible comprehensive weight management support services.

The Obesity Health Alliance highlights that this is a critical moment for action. With growing political will and public awareness of the health impacts of obesity, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK is uniquely positioned to lead the world in reversing this trend. The strategy calls for a robust policy infrastructure, effective leadership, and ongoing evaluation to ensure sustained progress.

"Now is the time to turn the tide," the Alliance states, urging policymakers to put health at the forefront of the political agenda. By adopting this comprehensive strategy, the UK can improve public health, ease pressure on the NHS, and create a future where healthy weight is achievable for all.