State Secretary Paul Blokhuis (Christian Union) of Health is closely following the legislative proposals of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson against overweight and plans to raise them in an EU context as well.
In the fight against corona, the problem of overweight must be addressed much more aggressively. That is also the message from Dutch doctors and politicians. They say British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is setting a good example.
Recent research from Erasmus MC shows that people with severe overweight have a much higher risk of serious COVID-19. There are indications this is related to changes in the immune system caused by excessive belly fat. This causes the body to no longer respond properly to invading viruses. State Secretary Blokhuis of Health, Welfare and Sport wrote this to the House of Representatives. In this context, he is following the British health campaign with interest.
Johnson believes all overweight Britons should lose weight. Among other measures, there will be a ban on junk food advertisements on television and the internet until 9 p.m. Also, sweets and chocolate may no longer be placed at cash registers in British stores. Discount promotions on unhealthy products will be banned, and candy and chocolate will no longer be allowed at the checkout.
"Finally," sighed Liesbeth van Rossum, professor of obesity and internist at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, recently in Het Parool. "Something needs to happen now, this is urgently needed in the Netherlands too." Recent research shows that 77 percent of corona patients admitted to intensive care in the Netherlands were overweight. About half of the Dutch population is overweight, and roughly 15 percent have obesity.
So far, Dutch policy has paid hardly any attention to unhealthy eating habits. The 'Wheel of Five' advises primarily fresh and varied eating, but in the prevention agreement that State Secretary Blokhuis has made with the food industry and supermarkets, there is no mention of heavily processed foods. And the Product Composition Improvement Agreement only addresses sugar, saturated fat, and salt, not carbohydrates, proteins, or fibers for example.
The governing Christian Union party also believes stronger measures are necessary. "What the United Kingdom is showing is very interesting," says MP Carla Dik-Faber. "We believe that 80 percent of supermarket advertising should be about healthy food; it is currently only 20 percent. We also want unhealthy products banned from checkout areas."
Opposition parties PvdA and GroenLinks advocate for a sugar tax. "Unfortunately, its introduction is still being blocked by the strong lobby of supermarkets and soft drink manufacturers," says PvdA MP Lilianne Ploumen.
The Netherlands will also closely follow the announced actions regarding marketing and placement of unhealthy products, says State Secretary Blokhuis. The measures taken in the United Kingdom will also be put on the agenda for the next meeting with partners of the National Prevention Agreement’s Overweight table.