To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


View sample alert

Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Scheduled Event - 3 Jun 2024, 2:30 p.m.
View Source
Lords - Oral questions - Main Chamber
Tackling obesity in children
MP: Lord Young of Cookham
Non-Departmental Publication (Statistics)
Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland)

May. 17 2024

Source Page: Children’s Health in Northern Ireland 2022/23
Document: Children’s Health in Northern Ireland 2022/23 (webpage)

Found: down indicators such as birth weight, maternal BMI, maternal smoking, breastfeeding status, childhood obesity


Written Question
Obesity: Health Services
Friday 17th May 2024

Asked by: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total cost of treating patients who are obese and overweight; and what are the associated costs of treating (1) type 2 diabetes, (2) cardiovascular disease, (3) cerebrovascular disease, (4) musculoskeletal diseases including joint replacers, (5) cancer, and (6) dementia.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The department has reviewed and uses cost estimates published by Frontier Economics in 2022.

A study by Frontier Economics estimated that in 2021 obesity related ill-health cost the National Health Service £6.5 billion annually. This estimate includes costs associated with the following obesity related diseases: colorectal cancer; oesophageal cancer; kidney cancer; ovarian cancer; pancreatic cancer; coronary heart disease; stroke; type 2 diabetes; hypertension; knee osteoarthritis; endometrial cancer, and breast cancer.

The disease costs associated with obesity are calculated from the total annual costs per case, as shown in the following table:

Disease

Cost per case per year (2021)

(1) Type 2 diabetes

£ 827.33

(2) Cardiovascular disease - Coronary heart disease (CHD)

£ 1,557.25

(2) Cardiovascular disease - Stroke

£ 247.55

(2) Risk of Cardiovascular disease - Hypertension

£ 453.91

(4) Musculoskeletal disease - Knee Osteoarthritis

£ 27,798.40

(5) Cancer - Colorectal cancer

£ 520.13

(5) Cancer - Oesophageal cancer

£ 545.06

(5) Cancer - Kidney cancer

£ 1,662.88

(5) Cancer - Ovarian cancer

£ 14,990.93

(5) Cancer - Pancreatic cancer

£ 7,447.27

(5) Cancer - Endometrial cancer

£ 520.13

(5) Cancer - Breast cancer

£ 545.06

The annual costs per case includes direct health-care costs including hospital care (both inpatient and outpatient), primary care, and medication, and they are not exclusively related to obesity associated cases. Indirect and social care costs are not included, which means the exclusion of these costs will probably underestimate total costs of disease events overall.


Written Question
Obesity: Children
Friday 17th May 2024

Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to undertake a review into levels of childhood obesity and the role that the promotion of meals, snacks and drinks in early years settings can play in combatting this trend.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework (EYFS) sets the standards that all early years providers must meet, for the learning, development, and care of children from birth to five years old. The EYFS requires that where children are provided with meals, snacks, and drinks, they must be healthy, balanced, and nutritious. The EYFS also refers to example menus and guidance, which support parents, carers, and anyone working with children, to provide healthy food options. The Department for Education has also very recently published a range of tools and advice to support childminders, nursery leaders, and pre-school practitioners to improve the food offered in early years settings on the Help for early years providers platform.


Departmental Publication (Services)
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

May. 16 2024

Source Page: Moldovan GI product names: statement of objection
Document: (PDF)

Found: carbohydrates) but high in protein, it can be consumed by people with diabetes and those affected by obesity


Deposited Papers
Department for Education

May. 16 2024

Source Page: I. Draft Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health education: Statutory guidance for governing bodies, proprietors, head teachers, principals, senior leadership teams, teachers. 44p. II. Review of the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health education statutory guidance. Government consultation. 27p. III. Letter dated 16/05/2024 from Gillian Keegan MP to the Deposited papers clerk regarding the above documents for deposit in the House libraries. 1p.
Document: Draft_RSE_and_Health_Education_statutory_guidance.pdf (PDF)

Found: forms of regular, vigorous exercise. 3. the risks associated with an inactive lifestyle (including obesity


Lords Chamber
People with Disabilities: Access to Services - Thu 16 May 2024
Department for Work and Pensions

Mentions:
1: Baroness Hughes of Stretford (Lab - Life peer) Another important factor is the failure to tackle serious public health problems, especially obesity. - Speech Link


Lords Chamber
Community Sports: Impact on Young People - Thu 16 May 2024
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

Mentions:
1: Baroness Sater (Con - Life peer) It has more than proved its value since 2013.The rise in obesity rates in children and young people is - Speech Link
2: Lord Monks (Lab - Life peer) It is a key weapon against the burgeoning growth of obesity, which is a national crisis. - Speech Link
3: Earl of Effingham (Con - Excepted Hereditary) crisis”, “Almost half of cancer cases linked to obesity”. - Speech Link
4: Lord Shamash (Lab - Life peer) An article in the Times earlier this week highlighted the problems of obesity and its link to “record - Speech Link
5: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Con - Life peer) In total, obesity costs the National Health Service around £6.5 billion a year. - Speech Link


Written Question
Food: Packaging
Thursday 16th May 2024

Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to stop child friendly packaging being used to advertise unhealthy food to children.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to working with businesses to ensure that we create the conditions for a healthier nation, and we are implementing an ambitious programme of measures to tackle childhood obesity. On 1 October 2022, the Government introduced legislation to restrict the location of foods high in fat, salt, or sugar in shops and online. These restrictions will have the single biggest impact on reducing children’s calorie consumption, and are expected to accrue health benefits of over £57 billion, and provide the National Health Service savings of over £4 billion, over the next 25 years.

On 1 October 2025, the volume price promotion restrictions will come into force, restricting volume price promotions such as three for two offers on less healthy products. The Government will simultaneously introduce a United Kingdom-wide 9:00pm television watershed for products high in fat, salt, or sugar, and a restriction of paid-for advertising of these products online, also on 1 October 2025. We continue to work with industry on the Food Data Transparency Partnership, to co-develop voluntary reporting requirements for food business to demonstrate the healthiness of their sales.


Written Question
Food: Advertising
Thursday 16th May 2024

Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to protect children from unhealthy food and drink marketing.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to working with businesses to ensure that we create the conditions for a healthier nation, and we are implementing an ambitious programme of measures to tackle childhood obesity. On 1 October 2022, the Government introduced legislation to restrict the location of foods high in fat, salt, or sugar in shops and online.

On 1 October 2025, the volume price promotion restrictions will come into force, restricting volume price promotions such as three for two offers on less healthy products. The Government will simultaneously introduce a United Kingdom-wide 9:00pm television watershed for products high in fat, salt, or sugar, and a restriction of paid-for advertising of these products online, also on 1 October 2025. We continue to work with industry on the Food Data Transparency Partnership, to co-develop voluntary reporting requirements for food business to demonstrate the healthiness of their sales.

The Government, through its focus on prevention, is committed to improving the oral health of our young children through the Smile for Life programme, so that they have good habits by the time they start primary school.