Speaking at the first-ever debate on preventing obesity and fatty liver disease in the UK Parliament, London Ealing Southall MP, Virendra Sharma (Labour) said:
“[It] is a public health emergency. Liver disease mortality rates are outpacing those for other major conditions, such as diabetes or respiratory conditions.”
In addition to fatty liver disease, obesity can also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and strokes.
Both Diabetes UK and the British Liver Trust are calling for preventative measures such as reducing the promotion of foods high in fat, sugar and salt.
East Yorkshire Conservative MP, Sir Greg Knight (right), also took part saying: “There’s a case for looking again at our food-labelling laws and perhaps requiring ultra-processed food to carry a health warning, rather like we require cigarette packets to have to display such a warning. “
He was backed by Carol Monaghan the SNP MP for Glasgow North-West: “One of the issues with ultra-processed food is that it’s also ultra-addictive and then people want to have more of it, and we can’t help ourselves, but we don’t treat it like other ultra-addictive things like cigarettes and alcohol.”
Many MPs raised the issue of ultra-processed with several backing the call for them to carry a warning similar to those on cigarette packs.