HNY Centre For Excellence

Health star rating to become mandatory on all packaged food in Australia Food and health ministers vote to mandate the ratings system after years of urging from peak health bodies

Big public health milestone 🇦🇺🇳🇿

The move to make front-of-pack Health Star nutrition labelling mandatory marks a major shift from voluntary to systemic action — giving people clearer, more consistent information to make healthier choices and driving reformulation

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Vaping in cars with children could be banned under new plans The plans are subject to a 12-week public consultation which starts on Friday.

Welcome focus on prevention.

Measures to limit smoking around children and patients.

The consultation is a key opportunity to shape how this works in practice.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Fascinating modelling showing that reducing unhealthy commodities like tobacco, alcohol and sweets can benefit both health and the economy — spending shifts, not losses, drive gains across sectors.

These risk factors overlap, with over a fifth (22%) of the adult population of England living with two or more.

When these risk factors are combined, their negative impacts on the heart are not just additive - they multiply.

That’s why we’re focusing on an integrated approach to prevention.

Every 3 minutes, someone in the UK dies from cardiovascular disease.

Smoking, obesity, and alcohol are the leading, modifiable risk factors that severely damage the cardiovascular system, collectively driving high rates of heart disease, stroke, and heart failure.

#HeartMonth

England’s poorest areas have 70% more vape shops and bookmakers than wealthier ones Data shows deprived communities have more off-licences and takeaways and fewer childcare facilities and gyms

England’s poorest areas have ~70% more vape shops & bookmakers, but far fewer childcare spaces and community venues. Our high streets aren’t neutral — they shape health, opportunity and inequality.
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

We need a national plan to tackle the harm caused by alcohol. This should include a labelling strategy – ensuring that everyone knows the risks of alcohol, including the link it has with cancer.

Association of alcohol intake over the lifetime with colorectal adenoma and colorectal cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial In the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial cohort, participants who drank 14 or more alcoholic drinks per week, compared with those who drank less than one alcoholic drink ...

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK – new research shows that people with an average lifetime alcohol intake of 14 or more drinks per week increase their risk of bowel cancer and double their risk of developing rectal cancer.
acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Most adults in North Yorkshire and Humber not aware of obesity-cancer link Most adults are unaware that obesity raises the risk of cancer, according to research by the Humber and North Yorkshire Centre for Excellence.

The evidence is clear: obesity increases cancer risk — yet awareness remains low

Local survey findings show only around one in three adults recognise the link

Prevention requires clear labeling & healthier food environments, including stronger protections for children from unhealthy food marketing

"Obesity and cancer are closely connected, with excess body fat affecting hormones, inflammation and cell growth in ways that increase cancer risk. Even small, achievable changes can make a meaningful difference at any age, and people deserve clear, compassionate support to help them get started.”

Many people still associate excess weight with conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, overlooking the cancer risk. This lack of understanding reduces opportunities for early intervention and risks widening health inequalities if only certain communities recognise and act on the evidence.

"One message is particularly important: it is never too late to take steps that reduce cancer risk," said Dr Michelle Horridge.

We commissioned a survey that revealed only 37% of adults across our region recognise that being overweight / living with obesity increases the risk of developing cancer.

New data shows the public backs action on tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food.

Work by @ashorguk.bsky.social, @aha-uk.bsky.social and @oha-updates.bsky.social shows that people support health policies when they reduce pressure on the NHS, improve health and tackle harmful industry tactics.

We worked on a survey across the region last year that shows 83% of respondents support clearer front-of-pack nutrition labelling.

A new labelling system that helps shoppers make informed choices that better their health would make a huge difference to our community.

Shoppers like nutrition labels, but they don't always understand them - Which? Which? research shows traffic light labelling scheme has an impact and is liked, but it needs improving to aid healthy choices

A new report shows that shoppers want clearer nutrition labelling.

The current ‘traffic light’ labelling system is inconsistent and confusing for shoppers. It doesn’t make it clear if a product is healthy or unhealthy.

One in four adults in England do not drink alcohol, survey finds Questionnaire completed by 10,000 people finds sobriety on rise, with women slightly more abstemious than men

www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

The most effective way to reduce the record number of alcohol deaths is through population-level measures such as minimum unit pricing, clear health warnings on alcohol labels, restrictions on alcohol availability, & comprehensive bans on alcohol marketing

We’re focused on turning this around. Smoking remains the leading cause of ill health and premature death, killing two in three.

We’re working with NHS, local authorities and community partners to strengthen prevention while supporting people to quit.

Data shows that we’re going in the right direction - smoking rates in Humber and North Yorkshire are falling, but they remain too high.

11.7% of people across the region still smoke, keeping smoking one of the biggest drivers of health inequality locally.

This is a brilliant example of public health teams working with locally commissioned services to amplify the voices of lived experience, which can be pivotal in inspiring others.

Snippets of the film will be shared across Hull, but you can watch the full film here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-o4...

The Centre for Excellence team attended the 'Quitters' docuseries premiere last week. It was an inspiring event, hearing the journey to becoming smokefree from 5 people who quit using SmokeFree Hull and how this has changed their lives.

Our standout OHA recommendations: clear nutrient info on all products at point of sale; Ofsted mandated to assess how schools embed structured & unstructured physical activity across the day; and training for health professionals to discuss weight & disordered eating sensitively and without stigma.

Over the last 30 years levels of obesity have increased significantly across the UK. We are supporting the @oha-updates.bsky.social as it looks for a system-wide strategy to enable everyone to enjoy improved wellbeing and a healthy weight.

obesityhealthalliance.org.uk/wp-content/u...

This Bill won’t just improve public health across the next generation – it also provides an opportunity to encourage lifelong smokers to quit.

@ashorguk.bsky.social estimates smoking costs the Humber and North Yorkshire region £1.39bn per year. This can be broken down into £834m in impact on smoking on productivity, £477m in social care costs due to smoking and £11m in fire costs due to smoking.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is in the final stages of approval within the House of Lords, sets out that there is just one year to go until the Smokefree Legislation age-of-sale law takes effect. We’re urging retailers and partners to prepare for a change that will bring long-term benefits.

This progress reflects the impact of stop-smoking support in maternity care through the NHS Long Term Plan and the Smokefree Pregnancy Incentive Scheme.

But there’s more to do. One in 20 pregnant women across the region are still exposed to tobacco – harming families and future generations.

Smoking during pregnancy drops to lowest level on record across the region According to new NHS England data, smoking rates among pregnant women have fallen to their lowest level on record across Yorkshire.

Smoking at the time of delivery is now at a record low across Humber and North Yorkshire.

We welcome new data showing that fewer than 5% of women were smoking between July–September.

www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/2574750...

Beyond road safety, we need a bold national alcohol strategy. Alcohol remains a leading cause of preventable ill-health and early death. Government must now act on minimum unit pricing, fairer alcohol duty, stronger marketing restrictions, and clear health warnings.

But this change must be backed by strong enforcement: visible policing, mandatory breath testing, and clear, independent public education. People need to understand the risks and the law – and those affected by alcohol dependence must be able to access specialist support quickly.

We welcome the decision to lower the drink-drive limit in England and Wales. It’s a long-overdue step that will save lives and prevent devastating injuries, bringing us closer to Scotland and much of Europe where stricter limits work.

www.itv.com/news/2026-01...