Ideas include cutting five billion calories a day from the national intake

The Department of Health has set out the Government's new plans to tackle obesity, including cutting the nation's calorie intake by five billion.

The obesity Call to Action announces a new national ambition for reversing the tide of excess weight in England.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley challenged businesses to help play a greater role, alongside Government and NGOs, to change the environment in which we live, support everyone make healthier choices and contribute to a downward trend in excess weight by 2020.

Backing this, England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, set out a fresh approach and called for everyone to be more honest with themselves about their eating and drinking habits, and for the majority of adults and many children that means eating and drinking less.

England already has one of the highest rates of obesity in Europe and some of the highest rates in the developed world. Over 60 per cent of adults and a third of 10 and 11 year olds are overweight or obese.

To meet their 2020 targets, there also needs to be a new approach that helps people get and keep a healthy weight throughout their lives and the full range of partners to play their part in changing the environment – from the public, private and non-governmental organisations sectors.

Also, the food and drink industry to extend and intensify their efforts to help people make healthier choices, continued investment in Change4Life and local authorities to use their new powers and ring fenced public health budget to make a difference in communities.

Lansley said: "We have to halt and then reverse the tide of obesity in this country. Government has a role to play, but it is clear that we cannot do this alone."

"We need to work in a broad partnership with local authorities, businesses, charities, health professionals and individuals."

Further information:
Department of Health