Health groups call for release of report on sugar and child obesity

A GROUP of 40 health groups and academics have called on the Government to release a delayed report into one of its flagship sugar reduction strategies following a recent increase in obesity prevalence among primary children.

The sugar reduction report, due last year, is expected to provide further evidence of the success of the soft drinks industry levy since its introduction four years ago today, while also exposing a “dismaying lack of progress” in most other product categories covered by the voluntary reduction programme, the campaigners said.

The group, which includes the Obesity Health Alliance, British Heart Foundation, Royal Society for Public Health and the British Dental Association, have written to Health Secretary Sajid Javid calling on the Government to stop delaying publication of the final report.

In the letter, the organisations point to the “very worrying” recent increase in obesity prevalence among primary school children and the urgency of addressing increasing health disparities which have been exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic.

They argue that evidence from the report is vital to inform the next steps in mandating industry-wide reform towards healthier food and drink.

Barbara Crowther, children’s food campaign co-ordinator at Sustain, said: “This report is already six months overdue, and with childhood obesity prevalence rising sharply, we should not be wasting any more time. We believe it will reveal the industry leaders and laggards on sugar reduction, and where further mandatory mechanisms need to be targeted. It’s crystal clear that when the Government legislates, as it did with the soft drinks industry levy, much faster and deeper progress occurs.

“We hope the Government will mark this anniversary by committing to publish the final sugar reduction report without any further delay.”

The levy, which came into force in 2018, removed 48,000 metric tonnes of sugar per year from soft drinks from 2015 to 2019, according to the previous 2020 interim sugar reduction report. Independent evaluations suggest the levy has delivered a 30g per household per week decline in sugar consumed in soft drinks. A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: “Obesity is one of the biggest health issues we face as a country, which is why we are delivering an ambitious programme which will empower adults and children to live healthier lives for longer, regardless of circumstance and background. Calorie labelling rules for large out-of-home food businesses come into force today, and we will be introducing restrictions on the promotion of products high in fat, salt and sugar.”

Obesity is one of the biggest health issues we face as a country.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman.