Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in TV bust-up with minister over doing ‘next to nothing’ to tackle obesity

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TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has turn into embroiled in a public conflict with the well being secretary after he accused the federal government of doing “next to nothing” to tackle obesity.

The River Cottage star warned Victoria Atkins there was a “crisis” in Britain and that ministers had ignored a “raft of policies” that might battle the issue.

But Ms Atkins insisted she was engaged on a prevention technique, as she mentioned the NHS app might assist folks take duty for their very own well being.

She advised the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “We make the mistake, I think, of siloing obesity by itself. We know that it can have many, many other conditions, including causing type two diabetes.

“So, over the coming weeks you will see the Government set out our plans.

“I want to take a strategic approach to prevention and, in fact, the biggest public health intervention we can make, we are making, which is creating the first smoke-free generation.”

But Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall, a panellist on the show, responded to her interview by saying: “I didn’t hear any obesity strategy.”

He told the minister: “I’ve worked with many amazing agencies, with the Food Foundation, with the Obesity Health Alliance, with Jamie Oliver and his team, with Henry Dimbleby, they have all put a raft of policies, of levers that you could be pulling to address the obesity crisis. You’re not pulling any of them. You’ve done next to nothing to help this ailing, struggling, sick citizens of the UK to find healthier food. Next to nothing about it.”

Earlier, Ms Atkins had been pushed on controversial delays to measures campaigners say might trim the nation’s waistlines.

These embrace bans on pre-watershed adverts for junk meals and multi-buy offers.

Ms Atkins defended the shortage of motion saying that ministers had to “reflect the society in which we serve, in which the NHS serves”.