Obesity should be recognised as a disease, according to the Royal College of Physicians of London, UK.
The college made its call as Public Health England launched its latest campaign to encourage parents to reduce their children’s consumption of sugar.
It said recognising obesity as an “on-going chronic disease” would lead to the development of formal policies on improving care in practice surgeries and hospitals.
It would also lead to a “change to public discourse”, meaning that those with the condition were not blamed for it.
It cited the latest figures showing that 19.8% of children are now obese by the time they are 11.
College president Professor Andrew Goddard said: “It is important to the health of the nation that we remove the stigma associated with obesity. It is not a lifestyle choice caused by individual greed but a disease caused by health inequalities, genetic influences and social factors.
“It is governments, not individuals, which can have an impact on the food environment through regulation and taxation, and by controlling availability and affordability. Governments can also promote physical activity by ensuring that facilities are available to local communities, and through legislation and public health initiatives.”
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