Katherine Rich

Wellington, July 13 NZPA - Accusations that the Government is doing hardly anything to fight obesity have been rejected by the Food and Grocery Council which says the claims are "inflammatory nonsense".

Fight the Obesity Epidemic spokeswoman Dr Robyn Toomath said yesterday the Government had barely acknowledged the problem and it was "astonishing" that stomach-stapling operations were not publicly funded.

Labour's health spokeswoman, Ruth Dyson, said the Government had stripped money from programmes that were put in place to tackle obesity.

Ms Dyson said the Government's "so-called sport activity programmes" were having little impact.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne said the Government did take obesity seriously and was spending about $70 million a year on nutrition and physical activity programmes.

Food and Grocery Council chief executive Katherine Rich said today the Government was encouraging healthier lifestyles.

"There are many positive initiatives currently being supported, including practical projects to encourage the reformulation of foods, the encouragement of physical activity in schools and the community," she said.

"The argument that more New Zealanders are getting fat and therefore the Government needs to implement sugar taxes and fat taxes is not only a weak argument but the worst kind of non sequitur. Such taxes don't work and will do little more than hike food prices."