Health insurance news - Government urged to do more to combat obesity

More needs to be done by the government in order to combat obesity and support local authorities in tackling the widespread problem in the UK, it has been claimed.

Spokesman for the National Obesity Forum and chairman of the Child Growth Foundation Tam Fry said the government's recent initiative to try and tackle the problem doesn't go far enough.

Health secretary Andrew Lansley recently revealed that from April 2013, councils will be given a ring-fenced budget and will be able to choose how they spend it according to the needs of its population.

"I think that is really far too little. So in general terms, I think the amount of money being given to local authorities, is insufficient for doing anything serious about obesity," he added.

One of the things that will be measured in the new regulations will be whether people will weigh less as a result of the extra money being pumped into each council.