§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned into the effect on childhood obesity of access to healthy foods. [138729]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Department carries out research and development activity related to diet, nutrition, physical activity and obesity, including the recently completed research initiative on nutrition funded through the Department's policy research programme. Research includes the systematic reviews about the uptake of physical activity and healthy eating by children and young adults.
As part of the Five-a-Day programme, research was undertaken to test the feasibility and practicalities of evidence-based community approaches to improve access to fruit and vegetables. Evaluation of the National School Fruit Scheme will also assess the impact on children's diet.
§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have been treated by the NHS in each of the last 10 years for illnesses(a) directly caused by and (b) aggravated by childhood obesity. [138730]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe number of finished in-year admission episodes for 0–15 years old children in National Health Service hospitals over the last 10 years, where obesity is the primary diagnosis, is shown in the table.
Year Number of finished in-year episodes 1992–93 215 1993–94 190 1994–95 121 1995–96 166 1996–97 151 1997–98 164 1998–99 211 1999–2000 219 2000–01 232 2001–02 239 Source:
Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.