English government launches initiative to cut obesity

A large advertising campaign to encourage families, and particularly children, to eat more healthily and be more active was launched last week by the English government as part of a three year programme that aims to achieve a “lifestyle revolution” to halt the growing epidemic of obesity.

The Change4Life programme will include education, individualised support, and activities to encourage people to understand the impact of obesity on their health and to make changes to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Its central message is that 90% of today’s children will be overweight or obese and at risk from serious diseases by 2050 without intervention.

Launching the initiative, Dawn Primarolo, the public health minister, said, “We are trying to create a lifestyle revolution on a huge scale—something that no government has attempted before.”

She explained that the scale of obesity in the United Kingdom needs an ambitious and innovative approach. “We have adopted ideas from successful movements such as Make Poverty History and Comic Relief, which involve a wide range of partners, local organisations, commercial companies, charities, and, of course, millions of people.”

A coalition of 35 representatives from the food and drink, retail, media, advertising, fitness, and health industries will contribute £200m (€210m; $290m) to the programme by using their marketing, branding, and advertising services to encourage healthier lifestyles.

In the next three months, advertisements on television, on billboards, and in magazines, devised by the animators who developed the Wallace and Grommit films to appeal to the whole family, will invite people to find out more by visiting the Change4Life website or telephoning its helpline.

People who register on the programme will be invited to have a discussion with an adviser. And people who want specific advice on healthy eating or activity will be referred to a specialist trained by the Change4Life scientific advisers.

Recommendations are based on small, easy steps, such as “sugar swaps,” swapping food and drink with added sugar for those with lower sugar content; “me size meals,” giving children appropriate sized portions; “up and about,” limiting sitting still to two hours a day; and “60 active minutes,” getting children to do at least an hour of physical activity a day.

People will also be given further information as the campaign develops to ensure that they get the help they need, including links to local services, such as cookery clubs, after school activities, and sporting facilities.

Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer, warned that research has shown that only 6% of the public currently understand the health risks of obesity. He explained, “We need to engage with parents and support families to change their lifestyles for the better. Change4Life provides that support.”

Health professionals have welcomed the programme, but some are concerned that there is insufficient funding or independence from the food industry. Tam Fry, honorary chairman of the Child Growth Foundation and a board member of the National Obesity Forum, said, “This is the last chance the government has got to make something work. If it doesn’t work, then there’s nothing else one can do.”

He was concerned that the food industry was using the partnership to fend off legislation designed to improve healthier eating. “In the end, I think legislation will be required if we are going to nail the problem of obesity,” he concluded.