Thank you for the opportunity to say a few words. I welcome the fact that the committee is taking time to look at probably the most pressing public health issue of our time. It is not unique to Scotland but, as usual, we appear at the wrong end of the league table. The Government’s approach to the issue is underpinned by a simple mantra that holds true even as our understanding and knowledge of how to tackle this complex problem grows: we all need to eat less, eat better and be more active.
Obesity can reduce people’s overall quality of life, create a strain on health services and lead to illness and premature death due to its association with serious chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease—including hypertension and stroke—and a range of cancers. The cost of diabetes alone to NHS Scotland is estimated at around £1 billion per annum and much of that is avoidable.
Obesity used to be an exception to the social patterning seen in other non-communicable diseases. In essence, every zone in the Scottish index of multiple deprivation showed that its population was gaining weight. However, in more recent years, there has been some progress in reducing obesity in more affluent communities at the same time as the prevalence of obesity in more deprived communities has increased. That can be seen particularly in the primary 1 data, which highlights the divergence between the well-off and the poorest in our society that might well be behind the plateauing that we have seen in recent health survey data.
We published the prevention of obesity route map in 2010. That established a solid base, building on the foundations on diet and physical activity that previous Administrations laid, and we should recognise the progress that we have made in some areas.
For example, on food and nutrition, as well as physical activity, Scotland’s education system has a good story to tell. The food served in Scottish schools has to meet high nutritional standards and, together with the implementation of curriculum for excellence, we have made great strides in providing children and young people with the knowledge and skills they need to make healthy food choices. Coupled with that, the Scottish Government is delighted that 98 per cent of primary and secondary schools across Scotland continue to provide at least two hours or two periods of physical education, which we know can have a positive impact on a pupil’s health, educational attainment and life chances.
However, we are not complacent. The Scottish Government will continue to support schools and local authorities to drive improvements in school food and food education. Having good strategies is very important, but clearly not enough. We know that when we get our interventions right, they can be outstanding.
Our response to obesity cannot rely on just a few projects, no matter how impactful they might be. It is about reshaping the environment in which we live to make the healthier choice the easy choice and to change our ways of living to impact all the time.
In conclusion, the Scottish Government recognises that there are no silver bullets and that we must adopt an approach that focuses on a range of actions that will help to deliver and support a wider cultural change to our lifestyle. We recognise that there continues to be challenge in terms of seeing behaviour change on a scale large enough to make an impact. Tackling the obesogenic crisis and creating a cultural change cannot be delivered by the NHS or through public health alone: we need wider society to see value in this and we need members of this committee, and other leaders, to help reshape our relationship with food and activity.
I therefore welcome this chance to discuss those issues with the committee, as I prepare to consider how our policies should continue forward and how we in civic society can engage with the public in establishing the necessary culture change. I am keen to bring coherence and clarity to our messages on obesity and, again, I sincerely look forward to working with the committee on this agenda.