Nursery World - Childhood obesity is 'everyone's business' and can no longer be ignored

The Government must make sure that young children at risk of obesity are identified early to make sure that they and their families can access the right support, a committee of MPs says today.

The Health and Social Care Committee says that ‘childhood obesity needs to be everyone’s business’, in its latest report on the subject.

It is calling for an effective childhood obesity plan with a joined-up 'whole systems' approach, which focuses on tackling the widening health inequality of childhood obesity, which affects children from the poorest areas more than their better-off peers.

Published ahead of an expected update to the childhood obesity plan, published two years ago, the report identifies key areas for action, including:

It also said that councils needs to be allowed to limit the number of unhealthy food outlets in their areas and the prevalence of junk food and drink billboard advertising near schools.

The Government must ensure that there are robust systems in place to not only identify children who are overweight or obese, but to ensure that these children are offered effective help in a multidisciplinary way, which is also offered to their families.

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