GPs set to prescribe food vouchers to poorer families in bid to tackle obesity

GPs are set to start prescribing food vouchers in a bid to ‘level up health’ among poorer families.

As part of the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ strategy, ministers are planning to crack down on obesity across the UK by allowing GPs ‘to prescribe vouchers for fresh fruit and vegetables’ and ‘cooking lessons and nutritional education’.

The plan to give out vouchers would build on successful models from elsewhere in the world, including Washington DC in the US, where half of the people enrolled into the programme lost weight over a five year period.

Ministers have said they will invest up to £5 million in a ‘school cooking revolution’, which would include new food content for the curriculum and bursaries for teacher training and support so that children are equipped with basic healthy recipes.

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The aim is for every child to leave secondary school knowing ‘at least six basic recipes that will support healthy living into adulthood’.

The paper, which is heavily aimed at Northern England, also attempts to lay out the problems of inequality between the UK’s regions and offer solutions to people to allow them to ‘take back control of their lives’.

Read More: Government could pay overweight people to exercise as part of new scheme to tackle obesity

Alongside this programme, Government Food Tsar Henry Dimbleby unveiled plans for a £6-a-kilo tax on salty treats and a £3-a-kilo sugary food levy, which would see items like crumpets, jam and crisps soar in price.

A spokesperson said: “Obesity is one of the biggest health issues we face as a country which is why we are encouraging everyone to live a healthy life, regardless of circumstance and background.

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“As part of the health-related announcements in the recent Levelling Up White Paper, we have committed to trialling the Community Eatwell programme building on what works best for communities to help make the healthier option the easier option.

“This will build on highly successful models from around the world. Similar schemes in the US have been shown to increase consumption of fruit and vegetables and improve healthy eating”.

However, the British Medical Association said at the time that while interventions to improve access to healthy food are welcome, GPs prescribing food will not solve the issue.

The UK ranks among the worst countries in Europe for obesity, with two in three adults overweight. In 2021, around 63% of all UK adults were classed as being overweight, with half of these being classed as obese, statistics by Formulate Health suggest.