Evaluating the UK Government’s Child Obesity Policy

Assignment Brief

Summative 2 (90%)

Assignment Politics and Policy in Public Health and Health Promotion (level 4)

Learning Outcomes: MAKE SURE YOUR COVER THE 4 LEARNING OUTCOMES AND HAVE CITATIONS.

1. Demonstrate understanding of core political and social policies and their impact upon health promotion and public health.

2. Demonstrate understanding of significance of political ideologies and policies on health inclusion and exclusion.

3. Identify and use sources of information and knowledge related to political and social policies and explain how these relate to the delivery of health promotion and public health.

4. Describe the roles of different members of the health and social care workforce.

Guidance for completion of your essay

• Write an outline structure of your whole essay by writing out the headings.

• Decide about how many words you plan to put into each section; this is a very short essay so it is important that you balance the different sections correctly.

In the essay include:

An introduction

In your introduction state which policy you will be describing and assessing. Write about one sentence on why it is an important issue.

Say what you will do in your essay in the order you are going to do it in.

[The reader needs to know what to expect].

Make sure you write very clearly

Background

Provide public health background information on your Child Obesity Policy topic such as trends in numbers of cases and who the policy affects [for example if you are looking at policy on moving health visiting commissioning into public health in local government then you will need to say something about how many health visitors there are and what their public health role is. If you are looking at policy to reduce teenage pregnancy then you will need to provide some data on numbers of teenage pregnancies.]

• Make sure you provide page numbers for all your references.

• Give definitions and citations for areas and words that need explaining more. For example, you might like to define ‘public health’ and ‘power’.

• Provide some background information on the political and policy context to the policy in question.

• For example, which party of government brought it in?

• Is it part of a particular political ideology?

Your policy

This is the main section of your essay. Describe your child obesity policy – this should take one paragraph.

Identify and use sources of information about the child obesity policy.

Explain why it is a public health issue,what impact it might have on the population’s health.

Who supports the policy? For example, is it supported by PHE (Public Health England), academics, lobby groups, charities, politicians of different political parties?

State the contentious issues in your policy and provide referenced evidence for and against. Include at least one paragraph with issues on one side of the debate and another paragraph for issues on the other side [the above points relate to learning outcome 3]

What impact might the child obesity policy have especially on those in society who have more, or less, power?

What might the role of, or impact of this policy on, health service staff be? [this relates to learning outcome 4]

Make sure you have provide definitions on issues that will come up in your essay in the background section.

Conclusion

State clearly what you have done in the essay.

Provide an overall assessment of the outcome of the debates in relation to your policy.

References

Make sure you are using books from your MSG in your essay. You need to demonstrate you have read them by referring to them appropriately.  For your particular policy you will need to go beyond these books as well.

Sample Answer

Evaluating the UK Government’s Child Obesity Policy

Introduction

This essay explores the UK Government’s Child Obesity Policy, focusing on its political background, public health significance, and impact on health promotion and service delivery. Child obesity is a major concern in the United Kingdom, with growing rates affecting long-term population health and healthcare costs. The essay will first provide background on public health and child obesity trends, then analyse the policy itself, its aims, political context, and the debates surrounding it. It will conclude with an assessment of how political ideologies influence inclusion and exclusion within health promotion, and the role of health and social care professionals in implementing this policy.

Background

Public health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2018) as “the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through organised efforts of society.” Within the UK, public health policies are shaped by political ideologies that influence resource allocation, service delivery, and the prioritisation of certain health issues. Obesity, especially among children, has emerged as a critical public health challenge. According to NHS Digital (2023), approximately 23.4% of children aged 10–11 in England are classified as obese, a figure that has increased over the past decade. These trends highlight the need for effective government interventions.

Childhood obesity is not only a health issue but also a social and economic one. It is associated with inequalities, as children from deprived areas are more likely to be obese (Public Health England, 2020). Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and psychological issues such as low self-esteem (Lobstein & Jackson-Leach, 2016). Therefore, addressing child obesity is essential for reducing future strain on the NHS and improving population wellbeing.

Politically, the UK’s approach to tackling child obesity has evolved across different governments. The Conservative-led government introduced the Childhood Obesity Plan in 2016, followed by Chapter 2 in 2018, which aimed to halve childhood obesity by 2030 (Department of Health and Social Care, 2018). These policies reflect a mix of neoliberal and paternalistic ideologies, balancing state intervention with personal responsibility. The plan includes measures such as restrictions on advertising junk food to children, calorie labelling on menus, and encouraging physical activity in schools.

The Policy: UK Childhood Obesity Plan

The Childhood Obesity Plan focuses on three main strategies: improving healthy eating, promoting physical activity, and reducing exposure to unhealthy food marketing. It includes collaboration between central government, local authorities, the NHS, schools, and the food industry. The policy was introduced by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and supported by Public Health England (PHE).

The plan recognises child obesity as a public health issue that requires collective action. Its goal is to make the “healthier choice the easier choice” (DHSC, 2018). Measures include the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (the “sugar tax”), restrictions on promotions of high-fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) foods, and reforms to encourage active lifestyles in schools and communities.

The plan has received support from health organisations such as the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and advocacy groups like Action on Sugar. However, it has also faced criticism for being too limited in scope and relying heavily on voluntary industry actions (Nuffield Trust, 2021). Critics argue that the policy does not go far enough in addressing the structural causes of obesity, such as poverty and food insecurity.

Continued...