'Nudging' may help but we need concrete action too, say doctors

In the BMA’s initial response to the public health White Paper Healthy Lives, Healthy People, the BMA’s Director of Professional Activities, Dr Vivienne Nathanson said that while it is encouraging that the Government is seeking to create an environment where individuals can make healthy choices, doctors are also looking for concrete action from the Government.

She said: “We agree that ‘nudging’ people to be healthy may be more effective than only telling them how to live their lives. However, if people live in an environment where they are surrounded by fast food advertising and glamorous alcohol marketing, nudging will have a limited effect. We need an environment that helps us make healthy choices and sometimes tougher action is needed to achieve this.”

Dr Richard Jarvis, Chairman of the BMA’s Public Health Committee, added: “The BMA supports the Government’s commitment to improving the health of the population and we are pleased that funding for public health will be ring-fenced. It is also positive that the Government has acknowledged that while it is vital to tackle problems like obesity, smoking and alcohol misuse, it is equally important to develop and shape health services so that society can be protected against outbreaks of disease.”