OBESITY AND THE QUALITY AND OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK

That this House notes that obesity and being overweight affects almost two-thirds of the British population; further notes that the World Health Organisation has found that 44 per cent of the diabetes burden, 23 per cent of the ischaemic heart disease burden and 41 per cent of certain cancer burdens are attributable to being overweight and obese; believes that treating such conditions will impose a considerable financial burden on both the NHS and society as a whole, which the 2007 Foresight Report estimated could cost society £50 billion per year by 2050; further notes that action needs to be taken now to better incentivise primary care professionals to advise and recommend appropriate guidance and support for obese and overweight patients; welcomes the National Obesity Forum campaign to reform the GP incentives scheme, the Quality and Outcomes Framework; and calls on the Government to support this campaign in order to tackle the impending obesity epidemic.