News In Focus
23 February 2010
Government eyes legislation to tackle obesity
Public Health Minister Shona Robison has launched a strategy aimed at tackling Scotland's “Obesity Time Bomb”.
The Preventing Overweight and Obesity document warns that if action is not taken, by 2030 nearly four in 10 Scots will be obese – costing Scottish society up to £3bn a year.
The strategy unveils plans to work across every area of Government to make healthy choices easier. This includes:
- Working with retailers, producers and the food industry to control exposure to, demand for and consumption of high calorie foods and drinks
- Using planning legislation to increase opportunities for walking, cycling and other physical activity in our daily lives
- Working with schools to continue encouraging young people to take up healthy habits
- Working with businesses to encourage their employees to eat healthily and be more active.
Ms Robison said that no country in the world had successfully addressed obesity, and the Government wanted Scotland to be the first.
"Obesity currently costs Scotland over £457m a year. If we do not address this epidemic now it is estimated that this figure could reach over £3bn a year.
"We cannot expect people to be able to change their behaviour alone as the environment we live in today means that for most people weight gain becomes almost inevitable. Excellent work is already underway but we have to go further and make serious changes that will transform our entire living environment.
"We plan to work across all areas of Government to ensure that policies are directed at supporting people to achieve and then maintain a healthy weight."
Ms Robison added that the Government would legislate in support of its plans if voluntary measures failed.
Restaurateurs however criticised the aim of standardising portion sizes, to be regulated by the Food Standards Agency, as "unenforceable nonsense".
To read more about the Government strategy Preventing Overweight and Obesity in Scotland: A Route Map Towards Healthy Weight, click here