Dr Jyotsna Vohra, Director for Policy and Public Affairs at Royal Society for Public Health said:

“With obesity rates reaching record levels during the pandemic, the news that the government is cutting £100m of funding for weight management services is of great concern to say the least, and brings into question the government’s commitment to tackling obesity in the UK - the “fattest” country in Western Europe. 

“With children living in the most deprived areas of the UK now twice as likely to be obese as those in the least deprived, these services are a crucial tool for addressing growing health inequalities. To remove funding and support that we already have in place goes against any promises to tackle the UK’s high obesity levels. 

"To truly level-up the nation, and relieve pressure on our NHS, we must have bold wide-ranging action. There is no silver bullet to fixing obesity, and in addition to maintaining current levels of funding, the government should follow through with its commitment to restricting junk food advertising and BOGOF deals. If not, we risk continuing existing obesity levels, or worse still increasing the strain on our health and social care services even more.”