Lords Committee to consider environmental and health inequalities influences on diet and obesity

The first session will look at obesogenic environments, including how local environments affect diet and obesity rates, while the second session will examine the reasons for health disparities across population and demographic groups.

The first session will start at 10.45am and both sessions will be available to watch live or on demand at Parliament TV or attend in person in Committee Room 3, Palace of Westminster.

Giving evidence will be:

10.45am

• Nikita Sinclair, Interim Head of the Children’s Health and Food Programme, Impact on Urban Health;
• Julia Thrift, Director for Healthier Place-Making, Town and Country Planning Association; and
• Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health, Gateshead Council.

12.00pm

• Prof Wendy Wills, Professor of Food and Public Health, University of Hertfordshire;
• Dr Maria Bryant, Professor of Public Health Nutrition, University of York; and
• Prof Amelia Lake, Professor of Public Health Nutrition, Teesside University.

Questions will include:

• How do local environments affect diet and rates of obesity, and what role does deprivation play in this?
  
  
• What are the causes of unhealthy local food environments, and what role does the food industry play?
  
  
• What role can local authorities and partner organisations play in developing healthier food environments? What are the barriers to effective action?
  
  
• How does the prevalence of poor diet and obesity differ across population and demographic groups, and what are the reasons for disparities?
  
  
• What is the relationship between food insecurity, poor diet and obesity?
  
  
• How do inequalities in diet and obesity affect health outcomes? What role does the food environment play in these inequalities?
  
  
• What are likely to be the most effective strategies for reducing inequalities in diet and obesity in the future? What evidence supports your proposals?