Health written question – answered at on 18 April 2006.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to reduce the incidence of childhood obesity in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire; and if she will make a statement.
The responsibility for local health services lies with the local national health service. It is for primary care trusts in conjunction with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to plan and develop services to meet the needs of their local populations.
Reducing obesity in both children and adults is one of the key overarching priorities of the Government White Paper, Choosing health". The White Paper sets out a comprehensive strategy for tackling obesity and has given a solid foundation for future work. We have also set a national public service agreement target to halt, by 2010, the year-on-year increase in obesity among children under 11 in the context of a broader strategy to tackle obesity in the population as a whole. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children is currently out for consultation and will also be available in November 2006.
Current action on diet includes investment in the 5 a Day programme including the school fruit and vegetable scheme, promotion of breastfeeding, action to improve diet and nutrition across the whole school as well as work with industry on food promotion to children and reducing salt, fat and sugar. Current action on physical activity includes nine local exercise action pilots to evaluate the impact of community partnerships to increase physical activity, Schools on the Move" piloting the use of pedometers in schools and an evaluation of the health impact of transport interventions as part of the sustainable travel towns programme.
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