Fife Council plans to reduce portion sizes at takeaways and fast-food restaurants to tackle obesity. A new pilot scheme will focus on limiting calories and portion sizes on menus. Local food inspectors and NHS staff will work with businesses to help prevent overeating. This would be Scotland’s first scheme of its kind.
The council is also considering banning junk food ads on roundabouts, replacing them with promotions for fruits and vegetables to encourage healthier diets.
The initiative was revealed in NHS Fife’s public health director Dr. Joy Tomlinson’s latest report. She emphasized the need for “place-based approaches” to create healthier communities. She noted that takeaways and restaurants have “lots of scope” to reduce calories and help people maintain a healthy weight.
Research supports portion size reduction as an effective way to cut calorie intake. Early work is underway between Public Health, Health Promotion, and Fife Council’s Protective Services on a pilot project in one area of Fife.
Obesity rates remain high in Scotland. The Scottish Health Survey found 32% of adults and 17% of children are at risk of obesity, with 30% of children overweight or obese.
The National Obesity Forum supports limits on takeaway licensing and junk food sales. Chairperson Tam Fry criticized the slow progress since calorie labeling was recommended six years ago. He called Fife’s new efforts “catching up” after generations of obesity problems.
Council planners also want to use their powers to prevent clusters of fast-food shops in deprived areas. Tomlinson highlighted ongoing “structural barriers” in Fife that make healthy diets and physical activity difficult for many residents.
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