COVID-19: Type 2 Diabetes Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department of Health and Social Care
Baroness Boycott
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COVID-19: Type 2 Diabetes
Baroness Boycott Excerpts(2 years, 8 months ago)
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Baroness Boycott (CB)
I am sure that the Minister is aware of the great social inequality in levels of obesity, as there has been with Covid levels. If you cannot afford a healthy diet you run a much higher risk of developing obesity. What measures will the Government explicitly put in place to support those on lower incomes to easily afford healthy diets—for example, factoring the costs of healthy diets into benefit levels, boosting healthy-start vouchers and introducing fruit and vegetable prescriptions? Right now, if you want to get a lot of calories to make you feel full, the cost differential is around a factor of 10.
Lord Kamall (Con)
In response to the increases in weight due to Covid-19, but also before, which led to more type 2 diabetes, the Government, the DHSC and the NHS have been looking in detail at how to respond. Further details will be made available.