• Up to date information
  • On the pulse
  • Interest in our Industry
Food_Labelling_Solutions_overweight_person_1448203071

UK opens door to adverts targeting obese in wake of public health crisis

Previous rules were designed to ensure adverts did not discourage essential treatment for certain serious medical conditions including obesity by promising over-the-counter solutions. However CAP said the prevalence of obesity was now so serious and its effect on public health so well documented that changes to the code were needed. NICE REPORT The changes also came in light of a 2014 report from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – the executive non-departmental public body of the country's department of health. In the report it envisaged certain lifestyle weight management programmes would play a substantial role within a broader strategic approach to managing obesity, and suggested medical supervision was not always required in this. CAP created a criteria for programmes eligible to reference obesity and target the obese. They must: •be shown to be effective at 12 months or beyond •last at least three months •be multi-facetted, addressing diet, physical activity and behaviour •be developed by a multi-disciplinary team to include input from a registered dietician, registered practitioner psychologist and a qualified physical activity instructor •be provided by staff who are trained to deliver the programme in question

You can read the full article HERE