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Directors of Public Health are Committed to Empowering Local Communities
In this blog, Prof Jim McManus, Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) President welcomes the launch of the Obesity Health Alliance manifesto which sets out an ambitious agenda. The scale of the challenge demands honesty, brave decisions and long-term...
Two Years on From Turning the Tide: Out at Sea, but Our Navigation Is Set
Nearly two years on from publication of the Obesity Health Alliance's 'Turning the Tide - a 10 year Healthy Weight Strategy', former OHA director Caroline Cerny (now Director of Policy and Engagement at Bite Back 2030) reflects on the process and where we are now. In...
Making a bad situation worse: Covid-19 and the impact on childhood obesity
In November 2021, NHS Digital released new data from England’s National Childhood Measurement Programme (NCMP). This surveillance programme collects data on the weight and height of children in their first and last years of primary school and is used to understand...
Outdoor Advertising: A major loophole in food marketing restrictions
Guest blog by Amy Finlay, PhD student at the University of Liverpool At this time of year, it’s hard to escape food marketing. Everywhere we turn there are TV adverts, social media posts and bus shelter posters promoting a wide variety of mouth-watering,...
Whatever happened to the updated Nutrient Profiling Model?
Faced with a conversation about the ‘nutrient profiling model’ it is likely that most people’s eyes would glaze over. Even more so if we started to explain that it is a complex algorithm based on a scoring system that weighs up the contribution of seven different...
Guest blog: To reformulate, or not to reformulate; that is the question
Katharine Jenner RNutr, Director of Action on Sugar, discusses the role of reformulation in ‘turning the tide on obesity’ in Sugar Awareness Week 2021 Whether ‘tis nobler to make small improvements to the foods people already buy and eat. Or to take arms against...
One year on from the Obesity Strategy: How far have we come, how far to go?
If, as the much-quoted Harold Wilson comment goes, “a week is a long time in politics” then a year is practically a lifetime. And while government policy positions can radically change, over a year, a week or as in as little as three hours, turning policy...
New Junk Food Advert Ban: Same Old Advertising Industry Proposals
By Dr Mimi Tatlow-Golden, Senior Lecturer in Developmental Psychology and Childhood, The Open University The UK Government has announced plans to significantly restrict online advertising of less healthy food and drinks. A ban on some adverts for certain foods high in...
What’s on the menu? Calorie information – as the Government commits to transparent nutrition labelling in the OOH sector
By Katharine Jenner, Registered Public Health Nutritionist and Campaign Director for Action on Salt and Sugar Despite years of heavy lobbying from the hospitality industry, the government has shown it is serious about addressing obesity and improving dietary health by...
International approaches to addressing obesity and improving health
By Leia Clifton, Policy Officer, Obesity Health Alliance World Obesity Day is approaching on the 4th of March - on this day we are encouraged to think about and discuss practical solutions to help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight[1]. The day aims to raise...