Question reference: S5W-35614
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 1 March 2021
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Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 March 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the aims of World Obesity Day 2021, and whether it plans to tackle weight stigma as part of its obesity strategy, A healthier future: Scotland's diet and healthy weight delivery plan.
Answer
We support the mission of World Obesity Day, which aligns with the five key outcomes set out in our 2018 Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan: giving children the best start in life; creating a healthier food environment; better access to weight management services; leadership; and reducing health inequalities. The Delivery Plan is at https://www.gov.scot/publications/healthier-future-scotlands-diet-healthy-weight-delivery-plan/ .
Evidence shows that people living with obesity often experience stigma from employers, health professionals, the media as well as from family and friends. This stigma and weight bias has been associated with poorer mental health, negative experiences of healthcare provision, which can then be a barrier to accessing support that could help people live healthier lives. This is why we have included actions in our Delivery Plan action to address weight-based stigma and discrimination. Included in our Delivery Plan is the commitment to better understand the extent to which weight-based stigma prevents young people from seeking health care advice, treatment and support through research. The Delivery Plan also contains a commitment to act upon the findings.
In March 2020, the Mental Health Foundation co-chaired the Scottish Government’s Advisory Group on Good Body Image for children and young people, and published a report with a number of recommendations relating to the eradication of weight stigma and bias. The report can be accessed here: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/MHF_Body-Image2020_Report_ONLINE-VERSION%20%281%29.pdf .
In response to this publication, Public Health Scotland are developing weight stigma discrimination training and communication guidelines that will initially be aimed at health care professionals in the NHS but will also be freely available for anyone to access.
In 2020-21 we provided Obesity Action Scotland with over £200,000 of grant funding. Obesity Action Scotland provide leadership and advocacy to health professionals, policy makers and the public on preventing, and reducing obesity and overweight in Scotland by:
- Raising awareness and understanding of health harms and drivers
- Identifying and pursuing effective prevention strategies
- Undertaking appropriate research and evidence gathering
- Promoting healthy weight