Our action on obesity
by Obesity is one of the biggest challenges facing our nation’s health. It is harming the people of Scotland and putting pressure on the NHS, other public services and our economy.
We want Scotland to be the best place in the world to grow up, and the best place in the world to be cared for and to be healthy.
Here are just a few ways we’re taking action on obesity in Scotland.
- We have published a new Healthy Weight and Diet plan, setting out how we will meet a new national aim to to halve childhood obesity by 2030.
- We will launch a consultation this autumn on plans to restrict the marketing of products high in fat, sugar or salt, such as sweets, biscuits, savoury snacks, cakes and sugary soft drinks. Measures could include restrictions on displays at checkouts or multi-buys.
- To provide more support for people with, or at risk of, type 2 diabetes to lose weight, the Scottish Government we will invest over £40 million over the next 5 years.
- We will continue to provide a healthy school meal for all children in primaries 1 to 3 – around 134,000 pupils – helping improve their health and ability to learn, and saving parents £380 per child per year. And by 2021 we will provide free meals to all 2, 3 and 4 year olds who benefit from increased nursery provision.
- Scotland has internationally acclaimed school food standards – now we’re consulting on making them healthier still. Following a review by health, nutrition and education experts, the Scottish Government is consulting on new measures to promote healthy eating in schools. You can read more and respond to the consultation here.
- Our ambition is for Scotland to be the first ‘Daily Mile’ nation with roll out to nurseries and schools across the country. Every school will be offered help to become a Daily Mile school, with over half a million children in over 3,000 of Scotland’s schools now walking or running a mile each day.
- We have appointed Scotland’s first National Chef, Gary Maclean, to promote the benefits of healthy food for our physical, mental and social well being.
- We will launch a new Active Scotland Delivery Plan with a wide range of actions across all sectors, including strengthening Community Sport Hubs and improving opportunities for older people in care to be physically active.
And at Westminster, SNP MPs will continue to press the UK government on key policies which are reserved to Westminster – such as closing the loopholes in the sugary drinks tax, tightening regulation of broadcast and digital junk food advertising seen by children, and introducing clearer food labelling.
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