Unpacking The Evidence

Dive into a lively discussion on the pressing issues surrounding the food system. Highlights include debates on a sugar tax and the impacts of junk food on public health. The urgent need for healthy school meals takes center stage, spotlighting funding challenges. Discussions also reveal a bias in food policy influenced by industry funding. Finally, the alarming rise in obesity rates prompts calls for mandatory regulations to reclaim healthier diets. It's a compelling look at how we can reshape our food landscape.

In this engaging discussion, Sir John Hegarty, a seasoned advertising creative with five decades of experience, shares powerful insights into how marketing shapes our food choices. He emphasizes the urgent need for reform in food industry regulations and critiques the impact of lobbying on public health. The conversation also highlights the necessity of transparency in food labeling and the role of schools in promoting healthier meals for children. Hegarty calls for a cohesive strategy involving government leadership to tackle the pressing obesity crisis.

‘The threats from food now completely dominate the health of our population. It’s by far the biggest cause of avoidable illness.’Henry Dimbleby, author of The National Food StrategyIn this first episode on Fixing Our Broken Food System, hear how the UK and other countries are facing a public health emergency.From rates of obesity almost doubling over the last 30 years to over 20% of children aged 10-11 being clinically obese, this episode sets out the sobering statistics on diet-related disease.It explores testimony from experts showing how unhealthy diets are the primary cause of this emergency, and how the food industry bears major responsibility for this.It also examines how the risks of unhealthy diets and obesity start before conception, and the need for urgent action to facilitate healthy eating during pregnancy, in early years, and at school.Finally, this episode delves into the debate over the role of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in relation to poor diet.Hear from a range of experts who spoke to the Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee in this episode including Henry Dimbleby, Dr Chris van Tulleken, Professor Christina Vogel and Professor Lucilla Poston.Find out more about the series.Find out more about the Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee.Presenter: Baroness WalmsleyProducer: Alex FreemanEditor: Lauri WhiteMusic by Universfield Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coming soon: Unpacking the Evidence offers an in-depth insight into the work of a House of Lords inquiry. In this podcast, we look at fixing our broken food system with Baroness Walmsley. She chaired the recent House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee. Over the next few episodes, Baroness Walmsley will share some of the insights the committee heard from the experts they invited in and why this matters. House of Lords committees are small groups of members from across parties that meet away from the chamber. They investigate public policy, proposed laws and government activity. Committees are appointed to consider specific policy areas and, once they have picked a topic to examine, will hear from experts and members of the public on the subject. Afterwards, the committee will make recommendations to the government, who must respond. Find out more about the House of Lords Committee on Food, Diet and Obesity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.