It is time the government treated hunger and obesity as two interlinked problems | Letter

The UK government's proposed obesity plan is unlikely to succeed, according to MPs who recently criticized it. This comes a week after the Right to Food UK Commission also urged the same prime minister to establish a legal duty on the government, assign a minister to oversee it, and create an independent body to report to parliament.

While the Health and Social Care Committee focuses on prevention and treatment as separate initiatives, the commission emphasizes hunger as a matter of income and rights, but offers limited guidance on the nutritional quality of food low-income households can afford. Both reports acknowledge that the same food industry and households contribute to both hunger and obesity, yet Whitehall handles these issues as two distinct challenges with separate ministers, lacking accountability for either problem.

To address this issue, the MPs suggest merging the two demands into a single cabinet committee, making it the operational body for a legal right to adequate food, as recognized in the UN covenant on economic, social and cultural rights. This right would guarantee sufficient food and nourishing food, and require measurable targets, an independent annual report to parliament, and strict conflict-of-interest regulations to keep food manufacturers and retailers from influencing policy decisions, similar to the tobacco control measures that have been in place for two decades.

Health Minister Owen Burnham acknowledged the Right to Food campaign during a prime minister's question session on October 14th. However, ministers are expected to present their plan to MPs within three months. Combining the recommendations from both reports could provide the necessary framework to hold the government accountable for people's dietary choices.