Winchester MP Applauds Local Action on Child Obesity

Mark Oaten, MP for Winchester, has tabled Early Day Motion 160 this week applauding local community action being taken across the country to address child obesity issues.

At an event in Parliament during National Obesity Week Mark met with some constituents to see first hand what schemes are available to help children manage weight issues and the bullying problems which can follow.

A focus on local support activities has enabled different schemes to develop across the country which are innovative and best suited to the needs of the individuals and families they are in place to help.

EDM 160 congratulates the MEND organisation, the Fitness Industry Association and the National Obesity Forum for staging the Parliamentary event and for continuing to raise awareness of obesity issues.

Through the motion Mark also calls on the Government to encourage the promotion of child weight management programmes across the country ensuring that all who need them have access to the services.

Mark Oaten commented:

“The National Obesity Week event in Parliament recently was really interesting and informative and I found the kind of schemes and support on offer to local families really very encouraging.

“I got to hear first hand from constituents how helpful these schemes have been and what a great difference they can make to peoples lives. So tabling this motion is a way of congratulating them for their work but also pointing out that the job isn’t done yet and there is more government can do to help. 

Full text of the EDM is as follows:

NATIONAL OBESITY WEEK

23.11.2009

Oaten, Mark

That this House congratulates the MEND organisation, the Fitness Industry Association and the National Obesity Forum for staging an innovative, insightful event during National Obesity Week and for continuing to raise awareness of obesity issues; highlights the practical local community action that is being taken around the country to address child weight management issues; believes that a nationally-driven, locally-delivered approach to child weight management leveraging the resources of the health and fitness sector is worth pursuing; and calls on the Government to encourage the promotion of child weight management programmes across the country to ensure that all who need them have access to such vital services.