The Obesity Health Alliance (OHA), which includes several PIF members, has published a Health Inequalities Position Statement.
The statement outlines the key evidence on the relationship between excess weight and inequalities in health outcomes for a range of different socio-economic groups.
It also explores the policy recommendations representing the most viable first steps to close these inequalities.
More than 50 health charities, campaign groups and medical royal colleges are part of the OHA, including PIF members.
Excess weight and health inequalities
The statement brings together key data on excess weight and health inequalities, including:
- Children from deprived groups are mote than twice as likely to be living with obesity
- The highest rates of obesity tend to be clustered around economically deprived areas
- Black children and adults, and Asian children, have higher obesity rates than the national average
- People with learning disabilities are much more likely to be living with obesity
- Those with a severe mental illness have a higher rate of obesity than those without
The OHA makes a series of recommendations to tackle these inequalities in three key areas:
- Food and drink reformulation
- Unhealthy food advertising
- Further action