The All Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity hosts regular events at Westminster to inform MPs and Peers on obesity related issues. We try to ensure as many meetings as possible are open to the wider stakeholder community.
If you would like to put your name forward for invitations to meetings, you can email obesityappg@healthcommsconsulting.co.uk
To receive a written summary of any of the APPG’s meetings, please contact obesityappg@healthcommsconsulting.co.uk.
Upcoming Events
Any upcoming event details will be posted here.
Previous Events
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity Event on the cost of living crisis: What does it mean for those living with obesity?
November 2nd 2022
Hosted by Chair Mary Glindon MP, and co-Chair Lord Bethell, this event focused on how the cost of living crisis is effecting people living with obesity, and what organisations across government and the health and social care space can do to support individuals at this time.
The speakers at this event were:
Andrew Gwynne MP, Shadow Minister for Public Health.
Emmerline Irving, Senior Programme Manager for Improving Population Health at the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership.
Susannah Howard, Integrated Care Partnership Director for Suffolk and North East Essex.
Adam Major is the Workstream Lead on Obesity and Healthy Weight at Cheshire and Mersey ICS.
Sarah LeBrocq is a patient representative and Director of the charity All About Obesity. Sarah also sits on the APPG’s Strategic Council.
Shaw Somers is a consultant bariatric surgeon, and sits on the Strategic Council of the APPG. As a bariatric surgeon, Shaw has a depth of knowledge of the treatment end of the obesity pathway.
Nadya Isack is a patient representative for the Obesity Empowerment Network, and speaks on behalf of people living with obesity, and sits on the Strategic Council of the APPG.
Katharine Jenner is Director at Obesity Health Alliance, a coalition of over 40 organisations that focus on nutrition, research, campaigns and policy in relation to obesity.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity’s ICS Inquiry Report Launch
Tuesday 19th July, 2022
Hosted by APPG chair Mary Glindon MP, this event is an opportunity to get first sight of the APPG on Obesities latest report ‘The role of Integrated care systems in supporting people living with obesity’, and listen to guest speakers talk about the subject.
The speakers are as follows:
Nadya Isack, Obesity Empowerment Network UK Trustee and Patient Representative
Susannah Howard, Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) Director, Suffolk & North East Essex ICS
Emmerline Irving, Senior Programme Manager for Improving Population Health, West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership
Dr Peter Scolding, Senior Clinical Fellow to ICS Executive Lead and Joint Accountable Officer, Mid and South Essex Health and Care Partnership
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity’s All-Stakeholder Event
Tuesday 8th February, 2022
The well-attended meeting featured presentations about recent Government policy announcements on obesity, Integrated Care Systems, priorities for obesity-related research and the importance of the patient voice.
The speakers were as follows:
- University of Oxford Priorities for Obesity and Weight-related Research (POWeR) team – Dr Ailsa Butler, Professor Susan Jebb, Professor Paul Aveyard
- Maggie Throup MP, Minister for Vaccines and Public Health
- Susannah Howard, Programme Director, Suffolk and North East Essex ICS
- Sarah Le Brocq, Obesity Advocate and Public Speaker
- Sir Keith Mills, Government Advisor on the Health Incentives scheme
Please find attached the minutes from the meeting.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity’s Annual General Meeting took place on Thursday 25th February, 2021
The meeting was a great success with parliamentarians re-electing Mary Glindon MP as Chair. Please find below the full list of the APPG’s membership and their roles within the group:
- Mary Glindon MP, Labour, Chair
- Baroness Walmsley, Liberal Democrats, Vice-Chair
- Dr James Davies MP, Conservatives, Vice-Chair
- Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe, Labour, Vice-Chair
- Baroness Jenkin of Kennington, Conservative, Vice-Chair
- Jim Shannon MP, DUP, Vice-Chair
Please find attached the minutes from the meeting.
The APPG Inquiry - The Future of Obesity Services
25th November 2020
The APPG on Obesity launched its new report ‘The Future of Obesity Services’ on 25th November via Zoom.
The inquiry has sought insights to support and maximise the implementation of the Government’s new obesity strategy for adults and children. The APPG has heard from a vast breadth of experts and stakeholders in the obesity space who have provided their thoughts as to how the group can support the Government to implement its proposals on obesity at pace and scale, and to support the development of further measures to reduce obesity levels and improve the lives of those living with the condition.
Dr Matt Capehorn, Clinical Manager, Rotherham Institute for Obesity
Dr Nav Chana, National Primary Care Home Clinical Director, National Association for Primary Care
Louise Patten, Chief Executive, NHS Clinical Commissioners
Vida Cunningham, Public Health Specialist, Lambeth Council
Minutes of the meeting are available here.
Members in attendance: Mary Glindon MP, Baroness Walmsley, Dr James Davies MP, Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe, Paul Blomfield MP, Baroness Watkins of Tavistock, Jo Gideon MP
To receive a copy of the report please contact ObesityAPPG@healthcommsconsulting.co.uk.
Evidence Session - The Future of Obesity Services
21st October 2020
The APPG launched its inquiry ‘The Future of Obesity Services’ on 6th October 2020. An online survey was supported by an online oral evidence session which took place on 21st October.
This oral evidence session provided the opportunity to hear from experts in public health, NHS weight management, Government policy and people with lived experience of obesity to discuss insights on the implementation of the Government’s strategy, how it could be built on in the future, and seeking solutions to support the expansion of the full range of NHS weight management services.
External speakers were as follows:
- Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director, The UCL Institute of Health Equity
- Mr Ashley McDougall, Director, Local services value for money studies, National Audit Office
- Mr Andrew Radford, CEO, Beat Eating Disorders
- Professor David Kerrigan, President, British Obesity & Metabolic Surgery Society
- Professor John Wilding, Professor of Medicine, University of Liverpool & President, World Obesity Federation
- Ms Jackie Lackenby, Community Staff Nurse, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Minutes from the session are available here.
Members in attendance: Mary Glindon MP, Baroness Walmsley, Baroness Jenkin, Lord Brooke, Rosie Cooper MP
Parliamentary Conference
How to beat obesity stigma?
Monday 2nd March 2020, 09.00-16:00,
Attlee Suite, Portcullis House
The APPG on Obesity held a Parliamentary conference to celebrate World Obesity Day. This conference, the second of its kind coordinated by the APPG on Obesity, discussed obesity stigma and how it affects people living with obesity.
Novo Nordisk provided sponsorship to the secretariat of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Obesity to fund this conference.
The event brought together UK and international obesity experts, clinicians, policy makers and patients to examine the effects of obesity stigma in the UK. Discussion focussed on the origins of stigma, how it impacts people with obesity, and the steps policy makers can take to reduce it.
The following topics were discussed by a panel of expert speakers:
Panel 1: Where does obesity stigma come from and how does it manifest itself?
Panel 2: What are the effects of stigma on individuals living with obesity and on the availability of weight management services?
Panel 3: How to reduce obesity stigma and what would be the wider effect of eliminating stigma entirely?
The event followed the APPG’s inquiry and report, which found that 88% of people with obesity had been stigmatised, criticised or abused as a result of their obesity. This conference examined the relationship between stigma and weight management services, covering prevention and treatment, and how stigma could be factored into a national obesity strategy for adults and children in England.
The minutes are available here.
Members in attendance: Mary Glindon MP, Baroness Jenkin, Jonathan Ashworth MP, John McNally MP, Dr James Davies MP, Sharon Hodgson MP
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity’s Inaugural Meeting on Obesity took place on Tuesday 14th January, 2020
The meeting was a great success with parliamentarians electing Mary Glindon MP as Chair, and Baroness Walmsley as Vice-Chair. Please find below the full list of the APPG’s membership and their roles within the group:
- Mary Glindon MP, Labour, MP for North Tyneside, Chair
- Baroness Walmsley, Liberal Democrats, Co-Chair
- Dr James Davies MP, Conservatives, Vice-Chair
- Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe, Labour, Vice-Chair
- Baroness Jenkin of Kennington, Conservative, Vice-Chair
- Jim Shannon MP, DUP, Vice-Chair
- Philip Dunne MP, Conservative, Member
- Sharon Hodgson MP, Labour, Member
Please find attached the minutes from the meeting.
The Group’s registration and income & expenditure forms can be accessed here and here.
APPG on Obesity’s Inaugural Meeting of the Strategic Council
Tuesday 23rd July, 2019, 10:00 – 11:30
Room R, Portcullis House, Westminster
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Obesity came together on Tuesday 23rd July to hold the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Council. The recently-formed council will help to devise an overall strategy for the APPG and will delegate Task and Finish Groups (TFGs) to develop and deliver individual work streams. Following the agreements of the Strategic Council to set the direction of work, a number of TFGs will be created to help drive forward individual work streams.
This meeting was designed for the Strategic Council to discuss and agree areas of focus for the APPG and what the APPG should look to achieve in the upcoming year. The discussion aimed to find an agreement on an overall strategy, how to achieve the report recommendations, and which TFGs should be set up.
Minutes are available here.
Members in attendance: Andrew Selous MP
Obesity APPG Treatment Event
11th March 2019
The APPG held an event focusing on the treatment part of the obesity pathway in March 2019.
Following a successful International Conference in January 2019, which examined whether obesity should be recognised as a disease in the UK, the APPG sought to turn its focus toward the proficiency and accessibility of obesity treatment services in the country. Policy makers, clinical experts, healthcare professionals and patients met in Portcullis House to discuss current obesity service provision and address what could be done to improve services.
Guest speakers included:
Professor Jonathan Valabhji, National Clinical Director for Obesity and Diabetes
Sara Bainbridge, Head of Policy and Delivery, NHS Clinical Commissioners
Dr Mujahid Saeed, Consultant Physician and Diabetologist, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS FT
Dr Abd Tahrani, NIHR Clinician Scientist, University of Birmingham
Mr Shaw Somers, Specialist Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric Surgeon, Streamline Surgical
Nadya Isack, Obesity Empowerment Network
Please find minutes from the event here.
Members in attendance: Eleanor Smith MP, Baroness Jenkin, Baroness Redfern, Mary Glindon MP, Lord Brooke
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity’s International Conference
14th January 2019
The centerpiece of the Obesity APPG’s calendar, the International Conference, took place place on January 14th 2019. This summit brought together US, European and UK experts in obesity, UK and international policy makers, and people with obesity to examine whether obesity should be recognised as a disease in the UK. Discussion focused on the effects this might have on the NHS, while making comparisons to other countries which have already made this step. The following topics were discussed by a panel of expert speakers:
Panel 1: Why/why not declare obesity a disease? Is it a lifestyle condition, a genetic disease, or something else?
Panel 2: What would it mean to declare obesity a disease?
Panel 3: What does the future look like?
Minutes are available here.
Members in attendance: Andrew Selous MP, Eleanor Smith MP, Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, Maggie Throup MP, Lord Ribeiro, Sharon Hodgson MP, Philip Dunne MP
Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships Roundtable follow up event
10th December 2018
The APPG on Obesity held a follow up to its previous STP roundtable on 10th December 2018. The Group produced an STP development report which assessed the developments of STP obesity provision, looking at what progress has been made since the publication of STP plans, and as the system moves into integrated care.
External speakers included:
Pofessor John Wass, Professor of Endocrinology, Oxford University
Professor Rachel Batterham, Professor of Obesity, Diabetes and Endocrinology, University College London,
Susannah Howard, Programme Director, Suffolk and North East Essex ICS
Members in attendance: Andrew Selous MP, Eleanor Smith MP
Minutes are available here.
Obesity APPG: Ideas for Preventing Obesity
30th October 2018
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity recognises the importance of the full obesity pathway, from prevention right through to treatment. The group’s event focusing on prevention took place on 30th October in the Thatcher Room, Portcullis House, and welcomed parliamentarians, clinicians, activists and people to discuss ideas for preventing obesity.
Guest speakers included:
Richard Sangster, Head of Obesity Policy, Department for Health and Social Care
Dr Caroline Saunders, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Director, Suntory Ribena
Paul Evans, Operations Director, School Health UK
Dr Danny Ruta, Director of Public Health, Lewisham Council
Susannah Howard, STP Programme Director, Suffolk and North East Essex STP
Minutes of the meeting are available here.
Members in attendance: Eleanor Smith MP, Baroness Walmsley, Baroness Jenkin, Maggie Throup MP, Jim Shannon MP
Annual General Meeting
The APPG also held a closed annual general meeting (AGM) on October 30th, in the Thatcher Room, Portcullis House, designed to elect officer, appoint the secretariat and review the upcoming work programme. Minutes of the AGM can be found here.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity Report Launch
15th May 2018
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity launched its inquiry findings on 15th May 2018 at an official event in Parliament. Attendees were invited from across the stakeholder groups involved with the delivery of obesity services, as well as people with obesity and parliamentarians.The event included two panel discussions, members of which can be found below:
Panel Discussion 1 - Causes, science of obesity & stigma
Dr Stuart Flint – Psychologist, Leeds Beckett University
Prof John Wass - Professor of Endocrinology, Oxford University
Prof Pinki Sahota - Professor of Nutrition and Childhood Obesity, Leeds Becket University
Baroness Jenkin – Vice Chair, APPG on Obesity
Panel Discussion 2: Current provision & patient perspective
Dr Matt Capehorn - GP and Clinical Manager, Rotherham Institute for Obesity
Prof Francesco Rubino, Chair of Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery, King’s College London
Julie Wood – Chief Executive, NHS Clinical Commissioners
Sarah Le Brocq – Director, HOOP
Key findings of the report:
88% of people with obesity who took part in the survey have been stigmatised, criticised or abused as a result of their obesity.
94% of all respondents believe that there is not enough understanding about the causes of obesity amongst the public, politicians and other stakeholders.
42% of people with obesity did not feel comfortable talking to their GP about their obesity.
More than one third of people with obesity who completed the survey stated that they have not accessed any lifestyle or prevention services.
The meeting minutes can be downloaded here.
Members in attendance: Baroness Jenkin, Baroness Walmsley, Eleanor Smith MP, Liz McInnes MP, Sharon Hodgson MP, Maggie Throup MP, Jim Shannon MP
Obesity APPG Extraordinary General Meeting
28th February 2018
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity is delighted to announce that following its Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), Andrew Selous MP was formally elected as its new Chair.
We are delighted to have Andrew as Chair and are looking forward to working with him in the future.
The EGM follows January’s reshuffle, after which the previous Chair, Maggie Throup MP, has sadly had to stand down. The Group would also like to thank Maggie for her fantastic work as Chair, and wish her luck in her new role as PPS to the Ministerial Team at the Department of Health and Social Care.
The EGM took place on Wednesday 28th February in Room U, Portcullis House, at 11:00am.
The minutes of the EGM can be found here.
Members in attendance: Mary Glindon MP, Baroness Jenkin of Kennington, Ian Lucas MP, Andrew Selous MP, Eleanor Smith MP, Maggie Throup MP
Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships Roundtable event
7th February 2018
In 2017 the APPG on Obesity carried out an audit of the 44 STP plans in order to determine the level of provision made for people with obesity.
The APPG is eager to understand how it might support STPs moving forward to ensure that they have an appropriate level of provision for people with obesity within their footprint.
A roundtable discussion, held on 7th February 2018, provided the forum for individuals with a responsibility for shaping and delivering STPs to come together to discuss how to make provision for people with obesity.
Guest speakers included:
Professor John Wass, a Consultant Physician and Professor of Endocrinology at Oxford University
Dr Rachel Batterham, a Professor and Consultant in Obesity, Diabetes and Endocrinology at UCLH
Professor Jonathan Valabhji, National Clinical Director for Obesity and Diabetes at NHS England, and Consultant Diabetologist at Imperial
Sarah Le Brocq, Director of HOOP UK
The meeting minutes can be downloaded here.
An Executive Summary of the event can be downloaded here.
Members in attendance: Eleanor Smith MP
Tackling obesity: from prevention to treatment; the current state of obesity services
28th November 2017
The last meeting, on the obesity pathway from prevention to treatment, was on 28th November 2017.
The All-Party Group held its first full meeting of the year after its AGM, with Maggie Throup MP chairing, supported by Eleanor Smith MP and Baroness Jenkin of Kennington, vice chairs.
The speakers were:
Dr Jenifer Smith, who is running a programme at Public Health England to make obesity and diabetes services accessible through technology.
Dr Matt Capehorn, head of the Rotherham Institute for Obesity.
Dr Alexander Miras, clinical senior lecturer in metabolic medicine at Imperial College London and consultant endocrinologist.
Paul Stevenson, a patient speaker with an inspiring story.
The minutes are available here.
Members in attendance: Baroness Jenkin of Kennington, Baroness Masham of Ilton, Eleanor Smith MP
Annual Group Meeting (AGM)
18th July 2017
The AGM took place at 13:00 on the 18th July 2017. This closed meeting was designed to elect officer, appoint the secretariat and review the upcoming work programme.
The minutes of the meeting can be found here.
Members in attendance: Maggie Throup MP, John McNally MP, The Baroness Jenkin of Kennington, The Lord Balfe, Faisal Rashid MP, Debbie Abrahams MP, Virendra Sharma MP.