Obesity (Hansard, 24 February 2004)

§ 18. Colin Burgon
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he plans to combat obesity in school children. [155735]

§ Miss Melanie Johnson
The Government takes the issue of tackling obesity in children very seriously. Prevention is the best long-term approach, by improving diet and promoting physical activity. Strategies are being developed through the Food and Health Action Plan that promotes healthy diet and the Activity Co-ordination Team that promotes physical activity.

§ 25. Mr. Reed
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to tackle obesity through increasing physical activity. [155742]

§ Miss Melanie Johnson
Together with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport, I chair the cross-Government Activity Co-ordination Team, which is preparing a delivery plan on how the Government will increase physical activity in England. We aim to publish a consultation document on physical activity proposals in April as part of the Public Health White Paper consultation process.
I have also commissioned 10 Local Exercise Action Pilots across England, which are currently under way. These will evaluate a range of different methods—and establish which are most effective—in driving up sustained physical activity rates across the population.