In January 2008, the Government published the £372 million “Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A Cross-Government Strategy for England”. “Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives” committed us to developing a three-year, £75 million, social marketing programme to help us all maintain a healthy weight.
As part of this programme, the Government are inviting everyone in society to join a national movement called Change4Life to help people maintain a healthy weight, by making it easier for parents to make healthier food choices and encourage more activity.
Over the past few months we have been developing a programme of events, briefings and media activities that will engage grassroots local ‘activists’—the many people who are already running activities that help children eat well and be active. They have been invited to join the Change4Life movement, and by tapping into this existing energy and commitment, we will ensure that Change4Life is not just another healthy living campaign, but a hands-on, practical and supportive movement. It will be driven by ordinary people across society, who want to do something now to combat obesity and make lives healthier.
(2) what recent steps the Government has taken to educate the public on the risks to health of UV rays.
SunSmart, the national skin cancer prevention and sun protection campaign, is run by Cancer Research UK, on behalf of the UK Health Departments. It raises awareness and educates the public on the risks to health from ultra violet rays, both artificial and from sunlight. The campaign works through high profile media programmes, through provision of resources and information for health promotion events and targeted campaigns, and through the SunSmart website. The main emphasis for the SunSmart campaign for this year is children and young people, with a focus on the risks to health of using sunbeds. The Department also funds the Meteorological Office to produce UV Index forecasts, which are disseminated to the media and published on the Meteorological Office website.