A healthier future: Scotland's diet and healthy weight delivery plan

Next steps

It is evident from the discussion and debate over the past year that this most pressing issue has captured imaginations and generated consensus on the need to act. The actions we will take to improve Scotland's diet and weight, and give children the best start, are bold, innovative and wide-ranging. They have been informed and shaped by a growing body of evidence, public consultation, and robust engagement with stakeholders including academics and public health experts. But this is just the start. We will monitor implementation of the plan, and its impact. We will learn how others are tackling diet and weight, particularly in our poorest communities. And we will consider the case for additional measures, where the evidence supports this. Such is the scale and nature of the problem, we want to ensure we have the strongest possible plan of action for Scotland and for future generations.

Evidencing impact

Action 6.1 With NHS Health Scotland and other stakeholders, the Scottish Government will develop a monitoring and evaluation framework by spring 2019 and report regularly on key measures of performance.

Action 6.2 The Scottish Government will work with national and local partners to ensure a strong sustained focus on reducing inequalities and will continue to report annually on overweight and obesity levels across all socio-economic groups.

Action 6.3 The Scottish Government will continue to ensure policy and action is evidence-led. A working group will apply public health expertise, data and intelligence, drawing on people's lived experience and learning from best practice across Scotland, the UK and further afield.

Ensuring strong accountability

Action 6.4 The Scottish Government will establish a senior oversight group to monitor implementation of this plan, and will publish a regular report on progress. We will also consider the case for any additional targets to support improvements to Scotland's diet and weight, reducing inequalities and delivery of key actions in this plan.

Action 6.5 With NHS Health Scotland, CoSLA and Obesity Action Scotland, the Scottish Government will ensure stakeholders have regular opportunities to learn about progress, latest evidence, and good practice in Scotland and further afield.