{"primaryDescription":"

MPs to quiz Minister on obesity crisis

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The Health and Social Care Committee will hold and evidence session on food and weight management.

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The Committee completes its evidence gathering by questioning the Minister for Public Health on the Government’s approach to tackling obesity. 65% of adults in England were overweight or obese in 2025.

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MPs will want to hear the Minister’s and officials’ views on why access to weight-loss support varies dramatically across the country, with scarce availability in some areas with highest levels of need. A study in the Clinical Obesity journal found that only 1% of adults eligible for ‘tier 3’ weight loss services were being referred to them.

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There will also be questions about whether the NHS’s rollout of Mounjaro is going too slowly and entails too many appointments, making it unnecessarily resource intensive for the health service. There are concerns that this effectively excludes many people who are eligible for the medication and pushes them to private providers. MPs are also likely to ask whether community pharmacies should play a greater role in providing weight-loss drugs combined with wrap-around services.

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The Minister and officials may also face questions on the Government’s interventions to promote consumption of healthy diets and limit the sale and overconsumption of high fat, sugar and salt product. MPs will also ask about the development of the Food Strategy and Healthy Food Standard, and how the Government can prevent undue influence from industry lobbying.

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