What happened to the UK government's 'New obesity strategy' from 2020

What happened to the 2020 UK government's New obesity strategy and bill?

In 2020 a press release from the Department of Health and Social care announced a 'New obesity strategy unveiled as country urged to lose weight to beat coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect the NHS'

This was a 'New package of measures and 'Better Health' campaign announced to help people lose weight.'

The main points of the package were to be:

  • Ban on TV and online adverts for food high in fat, sugar and salt before 9pm
  • End of deals like ‘buy one get one free’ on unhealthy food high in salt, sugar and fat
  • Calories to be displayed on menus to help people make healthier choices when eating out – while alcoholic drinks could soon have to list hidden ‘liquid calories’
  • New campaign to help people lose weight, get active and eat better after COVID-19 ‘wake-up call’

In 2022, according to the Observer newspaper, 'Campaigners urge PM to back new food bill and tackle UK obesity crisis. More than 100 organisations have joined forces to seize “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to fix nation’s food system' amid "Concerns that Boris Johnson is about to ditch anti-obesity measures" 

The article goes on to say that, 'A broad and eclectic coalition of more than 100 businesses and campaigners on health, food and the environment is calling for the government to enshrine tough food targets in law, amid concerns that Boris Johnson is about to ditch anti-obesity measures.

Greggs, Aldi, Tesco and other major food businesses have joined groups including the National Trust, RSPB and British Heart Foundation in urging ministers to introduce legally binding targets that would force successive governments to take long-term action to tackle the obesity epidemic, with one in four people in the UK classed as very overweight.

Writing in today’s Observer, the coalition says the government must seize “a once-in-a-generation opportunity” to transform England’s food system, when it publishes a white paper next month in response to Henry Dimbleby’s national food strategy.

Will the UK government shelve these measures? They probably will. According to a much older report here, 'Tackling obesity has been a policy priority in England for more than 20 years' 

A recent article in Spanish El Pais looking into a 2022 WHO report writes that 'The report found that about 60% of adults and a third of children in Europe are overweight or obese. More worrying still, is that there are no signs that the upward trend will change. Not a single country in Europe is on track to stop the rise in obesity by 2025, the document showed.'

Stepbac conclusion:

If not one single European country is able to reduce rising obesity levels, then surely that proves that the plethora of fitness apps, step monitors, diets, nutrition tips, fitness centres, state of the art equipments, laws, cookbooks with lean recipes and so one - do not work. Europe is getting fatter - and sicker. And it's happening faster than ever. Even during a deathly epidemic that was proven to be lethal for overweight people, levels of overweight rose.

Something is completely wrong with Western society. We need to "stepbac" to the 60s and 70s to find a sensible relationship with food. Governments can't or won't help. The food industry won't help. Only you can help yourself. 

Only you can learn to control and change your eating habits without misery or suffering.

The Stepbac method is not a diet, or nutrition plan, or an app or a piece of equipment. It's just an explanation of how and why you are being tricked into overeating - and a simple way to help you 'untrick' yourself.

Our acclaimed method and book Stepbac from Overeating suggests a simple way to take back control of your food shopping and eating. The book explains how the food industry uses science to create overeating habits and then teaches a way to change food shopping and eating habits. 

The Stepbac books are written in plain language with many illustrations which makes them easy to understand and use. 

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DISCLAIMER.
Individual results may vary and Stepbac is cognitive behavioural method that requires some willpower from reader.

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