Obesity Health Alliance Core Funding

Background Prevalence of excess weight in both children and adults is at an all-time high, bringing with it an increased risk of preventable illness including cancer, type-2 diabetes and heart disease.

After decades of ineffective policy approaches, the UK Government is starting to address the wider environmental factors driving obesity, but far more political intervention is needed to stem the rising tide. This requires a coordinated and aligned advocacy approach from the third sector.

Aims The Obesity Health Alliance is a coalition of 49 health organisations, including charities, medical royal colleges and campaign groups.

The over-arching goals of this programme of work are as follows: • To bring together a broad range of health organisations to positively influence UK government policies to reduce obesity. • To ensure that reducing obesity remains a government priority. • To secure evidence-informed policies that will help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Methods The programme of work is divided into four workstreams aligned to policy priority and development areas agreed by the alliance members.

Each workstream encompasses policy, public affairs and communications activity. 1: Secure restrictions on HFSS marketing Policy work is focused on securing strong new restrictions, monitoring implementation and developing aligned policy positions on further actions required along with building public and political support for restrictions. 2: Secure comprehensive reformulation of food and drinks high in sugar, salt and fat.

Activity will focus on building political and public support for the need for further action on food and drink reformulation to secure further fiscal measures on the food industry. 3: Building a strong aligned and respected coalition This workstream encompasses work to develop the profile of the OHA with policymakers and build relationships with researchers and stakeholders working in the healthy weight field. 4: Opportunistic and development work This flexible workstream captures work to respond to opportunistic events and develop future policy areas where OHA does not currently have expertise, such as weight management services.

What value will the programme of work deliver? Addressing obesity is a UK government priority.

The next two years bring a significant opportunity to secure strong, evidence-informed policies with the potential to significantly improve population health by reducing excess weight in adults and children.

This programme of work will ensure that the third sector operates as a cohesive and strong unit, driving and helping to shape further political action.