Can the Government help people lose weight?
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee is to continue its short follow-up investigation into behaviour change, next week.
The Committee first issued a report in 2011 looking at how the Government can influence the behaviour of the population. It is now returning to the issue, and in particular looking at whether or not Government interventions in tackling obesity have been successful.
On Tuesday 13 May it will question a variety of experts in the field of health, asking them questions such as whether progress has been made in implementing policies, whether or not these policies are effective, how the balance should be struck between ‘nudging' and measures such as taxation, and whether the transfer of responsibility of public health from central to local government has made any difference.
Evidence will be heard at 10.40am from
- Mr Jamie Rentoul, Director of Health and Wellbeing, Department of Health;
- Mr Richard Sangster, Team Leader, Obesity and Cross Cutting Health and Wellbeing Policy, Department of Health;
- Professor Theresa Marteau, Director, Behaviour and Health Research Unit, University of Cambridge; and
- Professor Mike Kelly, Director of the Centre of Public Health, National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
The evidence sessions will be held on Tuesday 13 May, starting at 10.40 in Committee Room 3 of the House of Lords.
