WIREDGOV

In Scotland, the rates of overweight and obesity for both children and adults are among the highest in the developed world. The percentage of adults (over 16 years) in Scotland who were overweight and obese was 65% in 2016. In the same year, the Scottish Health Survey estimated that 29% of children were at risk of being overweight, of which 14% are at risk of obesity. The reasons for this are complex, but simply put, the way we live today, makes it easier to eat too much food and to do too little activity. We, therefore, welcome the delivery plan on diet and healthy weight, which sets out ways to address this.

Claire Hislop, NHS Health Scotland Organisational Lead for Diet and Obesity, yesterday said:

“Scotland has a long history of taking bold actions on public health. Action to improve health across the population works best, and especially when it begins in the early years. With a better start for children and a focus on reducing health inequalities, the plan out today has the potential to help create a fairer healthier generation.

“What’s more, results of research we published last year on public attitudes to overweight and obesity can give us the confidence to take some of the bolder, societal level actions needed, safe in the knowledge that the majority of the public understand the need for and support them.

“NHS Health Scotland is pleased to be leading on various actions in the new plan and we look forward to working with partners to implement them.”

Download our research on public attitudes to overweight and obesity

You can download the Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan from the Scottish Government website