A new survey from Public Health England (PHE) found that around 9 in 10 people support the government working with the food industry (manufacturers, supermarkets and the eating out of the home sector) to make food and drinks healthier. Helping the NHS was one of the main reasons for people supporting this work.
The survey explored the public’s perception of obesity, and PHE’s reduction programmes that have challenged the food industry to reduce sugar and calories by 20% in everyday foods such as breakfast cereals, yoghurt and pizzas as well as ready meals.
Other findings from the survey include:
- Over 9 in 10 respondents think obesity is a problem in the UK, and 79% believe it has a negative impact on the NHS
- Only cancer (47% of respondents) and mental health (43%) are seen as bigger health concerns for the UK population than obesity (39%)
- People believe the greatest responsibility for tackling obesity lies with individuals and families (90%), the food industry (80%) and the government (72%), underling a belief in a collective responsibility
- There was support from 87% of people to replace unhealthy products near supermarket tills and checkouts, with healthier ones
The survey also shows people expect the government to tackle obesity, with 60% believing it could do more. However, the survey was undertaken before the government published chapter 2 of its Childhood Obesity Plan.
In May 2018, PHE reported on progress against the first year sugar reduction ambition of 5%. This showed an overall 2% reduction in foods contributing the most sugar to children’s diets, with up to 6% reduced in some product categories.
Next year, PHE will publish further progress towards reaching the 20% sugar reduction ambition by 2020, as well as guidelines for industry to achieve the 20% reduction in calories by 2024.