Action on Salt and Sugar’s Dr Kawther Hashem presents evidence to the House of Commons Inquiry on Food and Weight Management
Dr Kawther Hashem, Head of Research and Impact at Action on Sugar, attended the House of Commons to present oral evidence to the Health and Social Care Select Committee as part of its inquiry into Food and Weight Management.
Speaking alongside representatives from the Obesity Health Alliance and BiteBack, Dr Hashem contributed to a wide-ranging discussion on how government can shape healthier food environments, improve access to nutritious options, and reduce rates of obesity and diet-related diseases.
Representing the Recipe for Change campaign, she emphasised the need to learn from proven examples of reformulation - namely fiscal levers. Building on this, she highlighted the success of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy as a model to incentivise healthier product development, create a level playing field, and effectively deliver health benefits.
The session also examined tactics used by the food industry to weaken, trivialise, and delay public health policies. Speakers highlighted how the impact of policy loopholes - such as those present within recent advertising legislation - allow unhealthy products to continue targeting children and families and undermine public health progress as a whole.
A full recording of the session can be found on the government website (from 11:02 onwards).
