UCL in the News: Call for rethink in obesity fight

Work conditions, food subsidies, town planning and advert restrictions are all key, the experts wrote in the British Medical Journal. …

The findings mirror the conclusions of the recent government-backed Foresight report in the UK, which said societal issues were also to blame for rising obesity levels.

These experts, led by a UCL academic, agreed, saying tackling obesity was far more complex than just encouraging healthy eating and more exercise. …

The authors pointed to the example set by Norway, which has used a combination of food subsidies, price manipulation and clear nutrition labelling to steer people away from unhealthy food.

Dr Sharon Friel [UCL Epidemiology & Public Health] said a "dynamic" response was needed that included joined-up action at global, national and local levels.

"Missing in most obesity prevention strategies is the recognition that obesity - and its unequal distribution - is the consequence of a complex system that is shaped by how society organises its affairs." …

BBC News