Children and young people across Scotland will benefit from £1.7 million of SNP Government funding to support health boards deliver new standards for weight management services.
The investment comes after NHS Health Scotland published standards services for under 18 year olds, to ensure quality and equal access to provision across the country.
The funding is part of the SNP Government’s ambition to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce diet-related health inequalities.
Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick MSP said:
“We want children and families to have access to the appropriate support to achieve as healthy a weight as possible, no matter where they live.
“We are committed to supporting local partners across health and local government to develop ambitious and effective plans to prevent and reduce childhood obesity. Weight management services will be a vital component of effective action.”
Senior Health Improvement Officer at NHS Health Scotland Suzanne Connolly PhD added:
“We all have a responsibility to work together to help people in Scotland to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
“There is growing inequality in the prevalence of obesity between children in our wealthiest and poorest areas, and we have to address it.
“The standards published by NHS Health Scotland are designed to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland will receive the same high quality weight management support, informed by the best evidence available and good practice.”
Kenneth Gibson MSP commented:
“Being obese in youth can lead to ongoing physical and mental health problems throughout a lifetime. The SNP Government recognises this.
“In July last year, this led to the publication of the Diet and Healthy Weight Plan, aimed at helping people make healthier choices about food.
“Furthermore, it was announced last month that Scotland will become the first part of the UK to set maximum limits for consumption of red processed meat over the course of the school week, which will also reduce exposure to harmful nitrites.
“The SNP Government continues to help make healthy food and exercise part of everyone’s daily life, but of course we must also take responsibility for our own health.”
The SNP Government published its Diet and Health Weight Delivery Plan in July 2018.
NHS Health Scotland has also published standards for adult weight management services.
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