Experts berate government for lack of action on childhood obesity

The government has done nothing concrete to deal with childhood obesity despite asking for advice and recommendations from health experts, MPs have been told.

Health experts severely criticised the lack of real action taken to reduce childhood obesity when they appeared before the parliamentary health select committee for an evidence session of its inquiry into a childhood obesity strategy, held on 13 October.

The Department of Health is due to publish its “plans for action” on the matter in the next few months. It has asked Public Health England to prepare evidence on cutting sugar consumption to help with the strategy.

MPs asked witnesses why they supported the idea of introducing a 20% tax on sugar sweetened drinks.

Graham MacGregor, chair of the campaign group Action on Sugar, giving evidence, said, “This is part of a package. A sugar tax itself will not prevent obesity. It will play a major role in reducing consumption of sweetened soft drinks.

“Tax for cigarettes and alcohol works. We …