The British Dietetic Association has today welcomed government’s announcement of additional funding for obesity services in England but cautioned that we need to see services run by experts and that people of every age in every area of the country should be able to access the support they need.
Dr Amanda Avery, Chair of the BDA Obesity Specialist Group, said:
“This new funding is a welcome step towards providing better and more consistent support to the many people of all ages living with obesity in England. It remains to be seen exactly how this money will be spent, though it seems unlikely that this £100 million will be sufficient on its own to ensure that services are provided to all age groups and in all areas.
"We hope government will go further to end the current post-code lottery for services and that services can be extended to support weight loss maintenance."
Dr Julie Lanigan, Vice-Chair of the BDA Paediatrics Specialist Group, said:
“These services should be led by experts experienced in developing and delivering interventions for the prevention and treatment of obesity with evidence to show they are effective in the short- and long-term. We are keen to work with government to ensure that this money is spent effectively, and it is equally important that they work with service users –people living with obesity– to design services that work for them and meet their needs.
“This money is separate to the expected announcement on local authority public health funding, which also needs to be significantly increased to reverse several years-worth of real term cuts.”
For more information / interview requests, please contact the BDA Press Office on:
0121 200 8018 / [email protected]
