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In the first of a series of papers produced, The Lancet medical journal finds that despite isolated pockets of improvement, no country to date has reversed its obesity epidemic. 

The Lancet obesity series addresses the global epidemic of obesity and how it is framed as an issue. It notes problems in the naturally occurring differences between obesity being framed as a personal responsibility issue or as society’s problem.

The UK’s efforts to tackle obesity are highlighted in the report noting the restrictions imposed on advertising nutrient-poor foods to children and the front of package labelling scheme that has been initiated. However, the report stresses that more can be done so not to exploit the biological vulnerability of a child’s sweet tooth.

It finds that today's food environments exploit people's biological, psychological, social, and economic vulnerabilities, making it easier for them to eat unhealthy foods, which the Children’s Food Trust (CFT) highlights as an area of importance.

A spokesperson for the CFT said: “In the obesogenic environment we live in, helping children navigate the often conflicting and confusing messages they get about food as young consumers – from industry, from television and online - is nothing less than our duty of care to the next generation.”

Also stressing the importance of early intervention was LACA chair Carrieanne Bishop, who said: “We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of food in the early years of people’s lives and the role that proper food education can play in creating the next generations of healthy adults. Healthy school food and cooking on the curriculum are a brilliant way to start addressing these issues.”

The global obesity epidemic is an issue that needs to be addressed urgently by government’s to decrease its prevalence, the report says. It also says that despite being a complex issue, over simplified methods and debates surround the issue.

The CFT continued: “This study highlights the complexity of this issue and how so many factors interplay, but there’s no doubt that measures to help children eat a better diet from their earliest years are absolutely fundamental.

“That means good food in childcare; good food in schools; plenty of solid, practical cooking throughout the school curriculum to make sure children get the skills they need to eat well and make healthy food choices.

“It also means supporting families to eat well at home – too many parents grew up without the opportunity to learn to cook and busy lives can make cooking from scratch seem impossible, especially on a tight food budget.”