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Parents key to reducing overweight in children
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     EDITOR—The Health Development Agency is pleased that the findings of our obesity and overweight management evidence briefing have stimulated debate around these issues.1 In reply to the responses received we would like to highlight the following.

    The importance of parents in the treatment of childhood obesity is only one aspect of the findings from our evidence briefing on obesity and overweight management.2 It also reports that multifaceted school based interventions are effective in the prevention of childhood obesity, particularly in girls. This includes providing a supportive environment for healthy behaviours.

    Those who read our full report of findings will see that the systematic reviews included did not specifically consider food advertising as no systematic reviews were found in this area at the time. One of the recommendations from our evidence briefing was that upstream interventions, such as policy development, are urgently required. We therefore welcome the findings of the recently published report from the Food Standards Agency on the influence of food advertising to children and look forward to participating in the debate that will follow.3

    In considering a supportive environment, the advertising and promotion of foods to children in the broadest sense is an important issue and one which the Health Development Agency recognises and acknowledges. The national healthy school standard, which is managed by the agency, takes a "whole school" approach, which ensures that the learning from the classroom is reflected in the school environment and in the food provided. Within this we acknowledge the importance that healthy eating messages are not undermined by commercial interests and encourage the participation of parents as well as pupils and staff including catering staff, in developing whole school food policies.

    Yve Buckland, chair

    Health Development Agency, London WC1V 7BA communications@hda-online.org.uk

    Competing interests: None declared.

    References

    Kmietowicz Z. Parents key to reducing overweight in children. BMJ 2003;327: 832. (11 October.)

    Health Development Agency. The management of obesity and overweight. An analysis of reviews of diet, physical activity and behavioural approaches. Evidence briefing. London: HDA, 2003. http://194.83.94.67/niche_docs/EB_DATABASE_CONTENT/HTML_database_content/EBBDObesity.html (accessed 8 Jan 2004).

    Hastings G, Stead M, McDermott L, Forsyth A, Mackintosh AM, Rayner M, et al. Does food promotion influence children? A systematic review of the evidence. Glasgow: University of Strathclyde, 2003. http://www.food.gov.uk/healthiereating/promotion/issues/aboutreview/ (accessed 9 Jan 2004).