Businesses, shops and employers must be drawn into efforts to improve public health, the government said this week.

Businesses, shops and employers must be drawn into efforts to improve public health, the government said this week.

Public health minister Caroline Flint said the NHS alone could not tackle obesity and differences in health. Employers could do more to promote healthy lifestyles, while supermarkets could help families make better choices about food.

?Supermarkets can play a role with health food promotions or showing how to prepare exotic fruit or veg and getting kids to try it in store,? said Ms Flint.

The approach is outlined in Health Challenge England, a new document that outlines how the Department of Health will take forward its Choosing Healthagenda. It includes plans to launch a drive on obesity next year using ?social marketing? techniques that harness the power of business. Ms Flint launched the most detailed picture of the nation?s health to date, with key health statistics at community level.

Topics