Health boards in Scotland are to be given a share of £1.7 million to deliver new standards for weight management services for children and young people.
The Scottish government funding is part of a plan to halve the number of overweight under-18s by 2030 and reduce diet-related health inequalities.
It is a reaction to growing inequality in the levels of obesity between children in the wealthiest and poorest areas of Scotland.
The investment comes after NHS Health Scotland published standards for weight management services for under 18 year olds, to ensure quality and equal access to provision across the country.
Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “We want children and families to have access to the appropriate support to achieve as healthy a weight as possible, no matter where they live.
“We are committed to supporting local partners across health and local government to develop ambitious and effective plans to prevent and reduce childhood obesity. Weight management services will be a vital component of effective action.”
Senior Health Improvement Officer at NHS Health Scotland Suzanne Connolly PhD said: “We all have a responsibility to work together to help people in Scotland to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
“There is growing inequality in the prevalence of obesity between children in our wealthiest and poorest areas, and we have to address it.
“The standards published by NHS Health Scotland are designed to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland will receive the same high quality weight management support, informed by the best evidence available and good practice.”
