WIREDGOV

NHS Health Scotland welcomes the Food Standards Scotland (FSS) campaign to raise awareness of the impact of ‘upsizing’ on levels of over overweight and obesity in Scotland. Sixty five percent of adults and 29% of children are overweight or obese in Scotland – and the figures are higher in our poorest areas, particularly for children.  Often food consumed out of the home is high in fat, salt and sugar so the “out of home” sector has a major role in tackling the nation’s levels of overweight and obesity.

Dr Deborah Shipton, Public Health Intelligence Adviser at NHS Health Scotland, yesterday said:

“Eating out is big part of our culture.  We have a right to know what we are eating and to understand the impact of adding side orders or ‘going large’. The Upsizing campaign will help to do this.  One of the main reasons so many people are overweight in Scotland is because our surroundings make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight.  So, as well as raising awareness of the impact of what we eat, as the Upsizing campaign aims to do, it is important to encourage retailers to provide more healthy options that are affordable and visible too.  Our research on the Healthcare Retail Standards shows that it can be done. 

“Together, measures that support us to make informed choices, and measures that aim to make the healthy choice, the easy choice have great potential to ensure that more people in Scotland can maintain a healthy weight and live longer, healthier lives.”

Read our report on the Healthcare Retail Standard  

Read more about the FSS 'Upsizing' campaign [external website] 

For more information on diet and health inequalities, visit our diet and obesity web pages.