Fears of “nanny statism” have led to a failure by every UK government of the last 30 years to tackle the obesity crisis, a report claims, as it emerged that the condition now costs the NHS £6.5bn a year.
Labour and Conservative governments have displayed a similar reluctance to get too closely involved in a subject widely seen as a minefield, according to the Institute for Government (IfG).
Their production since 1992 of 14 strategies and 689 policies to counter obesity, as well as creation and later abolition of 14 different bodies to oversee progress, has not halted a trend that means the UK now has the third highest rate of obesity in Europe, behind Malta and Turkey.
The thinktank’s report concludes that “fear of ‘nanny statism’” means “politicians are afraid of interfering unduly in people’s choices, especially their diets”.
While ministers have done a lot to curb smoking, the report says, they have often shied away from addressing obesity because “food is more complicated … it is an essential basic need and a social pleasure that carries deep cultural significance”.
Scientists cannot agree if some foods are addictive in the same way as tobacco and alcohol. As a result, for many politicians the topic is a minefield, the report says.
“Interviewers told us that politicians worry that ‘bossily telling people what to eat’ would make them unpopular – a fear strongly reinforced by some parts of the media,” it says.
That, plus the belief that people should be free to eat whatever they want, “help[s] to explain why ministers of both [Labour and Conservative] parties have found it much more comfortable to emphasise individual responsibility than systemic interventions”.
Dr Dolly Theis, an expert in obesity policy at the University of Cambridge, said governments over the last 31 years had failed to get to grips with obesity.
“Some governments have done much more than others. But the IfG is right that a general desire to avoid accusations of nanny statism, a lack of understanding about the issue, and a lack of political prioritisation have all contributed to this chronic policy failure,” she said.
Katharine Jenner, the director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said governments were out of step with the public, who wanted action taken such as forcing food firms to reduce fat, salt and sugar levels in their products.
“The public wants action,” Jenner said. “They overwhelmingly support the government tackling the flood of junk food advertising that is bombarding us every day, as well forcing the food and drink industry to take sugar, salt and calories out of their product.”
The report is the first in a series that the thinktank is publishing on what it says are “chronic policy issues that successive governments have failed to address”.
The IfG added that although Rishi Sunak’s government says it wants to reduce obesity, it “has no serious plan to achieve that aim”. Sunak has delayed measures initially proposed by Boris Johnson, such as a ban on advertising junk foods high in fat, salt or sugar on TV before the 9pm watershed.
The report says the general “failure to grip the problem” will lead to lower productivity, higher taxes, greater health inequalities and increasing pressure on the NHS. The IfG is urging ministers to draw up a detailed long-term obesity strategy based on its roadmap for fulfilling its commitments on net zero.
It also recommends the creation of a new food and health policy unit, jointly staffed by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure progress.
Sophie Metcalfe, an IfG researcher and co-author of the report, said: “High obesity will lock the UK into a future of increasing ill-health and the government has no plans to tackle it. It needs to build support for a long-term strategy which avoids telling people ‘what to eat’ but focuses instead on shared responsibility and a vision of healthier diets and more productive lives.”
A DHSC spokesperson said: “We are taking firm action to help people live healthier lives, including introducing restrictions on where unhealthy food is placed in supermarkets, calorie labelling on menus, and we work closely with industry to make it easier for people to make healthy food choices.
“Trials of new obesity treatments and technologies are being backed by £20m of government funding, and we will introduce restrictions banning adverts on TV for foods and drinks high in fat, salt, or sugar before 9pm, as well as paid-for adverts online.”
