Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential (a) structural and (b) social causes of obesity.

Obesity is a complex public health issue with multiple interacting factors impacting over a life course. Genetic and physiological factors, growth and development early in life, eating and physical activity behaviours, individual beliefs and attitudes and broader environmental (structural), economic and social drivers play a role in determining obesity. As such, the assessment of social and structural factors influencing obesity, diet and physical activity has been, and will continue to be, integral to our assessments.

This includes, for example: assessment of National Diet and Nutrition Survey data by index of multiple deprivation (IMD); assessment of Health Survey for England and National Child Measurement Programme data on overweight and obesity by region and IMD; assessments set out within Theme 4 of the UK food security report; assessments of Active lives adult survey data and Active lives children and young people survey on physical activity by local authority, region and England, and by IMD; assessment of data on fast food outlets in the built-up environment by local authority, region and England, and by IMD; impact assessments including regulations restricting the placement of less healthy products in key selling locations in store and online; and consideration of vulnerable groups, racially and ethnically diverse groups and health inequality underpins all risk assessments undertaken by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, which advises the Governments of the four United Kingdom nations on nutrition related matters.

Under the Health Mission, the Government is committed to prevention and to tackling obesity, creating a fairer and healthier food environment.