HHS Deputy Secretary and the Chair of the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency Meet to Discuss Nutrition, Obesity and Food Safety

October 24, 2006 - The Honorable Alex M. Azar II, Deputy Secretary of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, met on October 19, 2006, with the Honorable Dame Deirdre Hutton, who is Chair of the United Kingdom (UK) Food Standards Agency and Vice Chair of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The meeting focused upon cooperation between the United States, the UK and the European Union (EU) in the areas of nutrition, obesity, and food safety.

Dame Deirdre is leading an effort to improve health in the UK, and is interested in the way HHS defines and measures success in nutrition and in the reduction of obesity. Her Majesty’s Government is developing programs to reformulate products to lower salt, sugar, and fat levels and inform the public via labels and public-education campaigns. During her visit, Dame Deirdre will meet with HHS Food and Drug Administration officials and with U.S. Congressional staff who serve Members on the House Committee on Agriculture. The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) is an independent Government Department established by an Act of Parliament in 2000 that provides information to the public and Her Majesty’s Government on food-safety issues.

Obesity is increasing in many parts of the world, including in the United States and the UK, and coupled with a lack of physical activity, is related to heart disease, diabetes, and impaired lung function. A number of HHS Agencies have comprehensive public and professional programs on obesity, including several of the Institutes at the National Institutes of Health. In May, 2006, Deputy Secretary Azar co-chaired a U.S.-EU Conference on Diet, Physical Activity, and Health with the Honorable Markos Kyprianou, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, in Brussels, Belgium.

Last revised: December 04, 2007