Ian Findlay from Paths for All says most of his organisation's work is delivered through local authorities who are facing reduced budgets.

Mr Findlay says the key is prioritisation and the challenge is to get obesity and physical activity higher up the list of local authorities' priorities.

Professor Linda Bauld from Cancer Research UK says more needs to be done in terms of interventions in primary care, where randomised trials showed double the weight loss when this approach was taken.

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton says the information is there, the issue is getting people to access it

Mr  Cole-Hamilton says: "We have to box clever with the producers."

• obesity could be costing Scotland up to £4.6bn a year
• the figure came in a Scottish Parliament briefing, external which said the problem was putting a "significant and growing burden" on the nation
• according to 2013 figures, almost two thirds of adults were overweight, with 27.1% classed as being obese.

Image source, PA

• the government launched a strategy in 2010 to tackle Scotland's "obesity time bomb"
• the problem could be costing the NHS as much as £600m a year.
• said that, including other factors, the total annual economic cost could be between £0.9bn and £4.6bn

Lorraine Tulloch from Obesity Action Scotland says there is no single intervention to solve the "obesity crisis", it will take a number of measures.

Ms Tulloch says we need to look at the evidence that is out there and put together a package of measures. 

Celia Nyssens from Nourish Scotland says it is really important that policy makers take a comprehensive look at the issue of tackling obesity. 

Ms Nyssens says a ban on TV ads would not work as more resources would go to digital advertising, which can be quite scary. 

She says Nourish Scotland supports a sugar tax in principle but poorer families tend to be affected.

Ms Nyssens calls for a more complex tax on caterers and retailers.

Scottish Labour MSP Neil Findlay says a number of things that have been mentioned such as local sport and activities for adults are all funded by local government.

Mr Findlay asks how obesity can be addressed with the funding pressures on local government.

Image source, bbc

Dr Drew Walker from the Scottish Directors of Public Health Network says we shouldn't expect people who are attending health facilities to face promotions for energy dense food.

Dr Walker says that is exactly what is happening at the moment because as soon as you walk through the doors at a hospital you are faced with convenience stores and their canteens do not serve healthy food.

He says the NHS has to play a role in this. 

Cancer Research UK in Scotland responds to the UK government’s draft legislation, external on the sugary drinks tax.

Gregor McNie, Cancer Research UK’s senior public affairs manager in Scotland, said:

“The sugar tax isn’t law yet but it’s already started to work. 

"Companies are reducing the amount of sugar in their drinks and with the details of the tax published today we can expect many more to follow suit. 

"But the measure doesn’t go far enough to tackle the obesity epidemic.

Image source, Thinkstock

“Carrying too much weight increases the risk of cancer as well as other diseases and, if left unchecked, we run the risk of obesity becoming a crippling burden on society and the NHS.

 “The Scottish government can and must now do more, including tackling the barrage of supermarket multi-buy offers on sugar and fat-laden food and drinks.

“It’s worrying that people with a healthy weight are now in the minority in Scotland. 

"We should be very concerned about the picture this paints for the health of the nation.”

Scottish Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton says he would like the panels reflections on promotion towards children. 

The health spokesman for the Scottish Lib Dems says, being a father, he has often been "duped" into buying sugary products.

He asks how we can better educate parents on what to buy for their kids.

Professor Linda Bauld says Cancer Research UK is pushing for a pre-watershed ban on advertising junk food on TV.

Professor Bauld says there's other things that can be done here with the devolved powers in terms of supermarket advertising. 

Image source, British Diabetic Association

British Diatetic Association, external submission key messages:

• establish overweight and obesity as a national priority 
• lead an effective and joined up approach to tackling the issue across the life course  
• allocate adequate funding to support development, implementation, evaluation and research around a national plan for healthy weight d
• recognise the role of registered dietitians in the prevention and treatment of obesity  

Joyce Thompson from British Dietetic Association Scotland says we frequently talk about physical activity and diet without linking it to obesity.

Ms Thompson says often people do not see themselves or their children as being overweight or obese.

She say we cannot forget the number of individuals that already suffer from this condition and they need to be supported. 

Image source, Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK, external, which carried out the study to mark World Obesity Day, said excess weight could be linked to 13 types of cancer.

Launching its "Scale Down Cancer" campaign in October, the charity called on the Scottish government to do more to tackle obesity by restricting billboard advertising of unhealthy food and drink and reducing supermarket multi-buy discounts.

Prof Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK's cancer prevention expert, based at the University of Stirling, said: "We should be concerned about the picture this paints for the health of the nation as we know that obese children are around five times more likely to become obese adults.

"Obesity is also linked to 13 types of cancer including bowel, breast and pancreatic. If left unchecked, we run the risk of obesity becoming a crippling burden on society and the NHS.

"The Scottish government must do more to serve up a better future for our children and protect youngsters from being bombarded by junk food marketing on TV, as well as the barrage of supermarket multi-buy offers on sugar and fat-laden food and drinks."

Professor Linda Bauld from Cancer Research UK says, in tackling the obesity problem the "4 Ps" must be considered:

• price 
• promotion 
• place 
• product

Professor Bauld says that advertising for cheap and unhealthy food is "everywhere". 

She says, in research carried out to measure the response of consumers to television adverts, some said "I wanted to lick the screen."

Professor Bauld says some of the responses to this research was "very compelling".

Obesity Action Scotland , externalfirmly believes that to achieve success we need a programme of action that has at its core, brave and bold fiscal and regulatory measures to change our food environment.

It says a new diet and obesity strategy must include the following actions for the retail and out of home sector 

1. Regulation to tackle price promotions on unhealthy foods 

2. Restricting advertising and sponsorship associated with unhealthy food 

Image source, Obesity Action Scotland

3. Regulate to control portion size 

4. Support for the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to be implemented and monitored 

5. Support for the UK reformulation programme to be implemented and extended 

Lorraine Tulloch from Obesity Action Scotland says the awareness of the obesity issue has risen over the past couple of years.

Ms Tulloch says it is important to continue spreading the message, particularly for the more deprived in society.

She says regulation needs to be introduced to tackle the obesity problem. 

Committee convener Neil Findlay asks if anyone around the table does not believe that this is a "crisis".

None of the MSPs or or witnesses respond.

Mr Findlay says that normally there will always be someone willing to argue the opposite view, but with obesity, everyone seems to agree that this is a crisis.