More than £6.5 million is being invested in combatting obesity and diabetes in Wales, in a bid to support those most likely to be severely affected by the pandemic.

The funding, outlined following the Welsh Government’s Budget, will be targeted at both children and older people to support them in reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.

The funding will be made up of £5.5 million going towards specific Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales (HW:HW) programmes and £1 million towards a pre-diabetes programme. As part of the former, over £4 million will go into developing a system-based approach which will contribute to preventing illness and reducing the impact of poor health and inequality, and allow health boards to develop their services in line with a revised obesity pathway.

Additionally, more than £600,000 will go towards improving physical inactivity amongst older people, which will help support recovery from the pandemic to encourage healthy behaviours, as well as improving the health of those most likely to be severely affected by coronavirus.

On tackling diabetes, the £1 million funding will support robust testing of trial areas over a two year period, before it can be scaled up and a preventative intervention programme run across Wales.

For 2019-20, there were approximately 192,000 people in Wales with type 2 diabetes - around seven per cent of the adult population in Wales.

Eluned Morgan, Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, said: “We have seen the coronavirus doesn’t discriminate who it targets, but those who are in poor health are much more likely to be severely affected by this awful virus. By striving to improve the health of the elderly who are inactive, we can help them reach a healthy weight and reduce the chances of them facing further health problems.

“We are also committed to tackling childhood obesity and breaking the stigma of families who are afraid of reaching out for the help and intervention available when they need it. We know there are high rates of diabetes in Wales and hope this funding will allow us to take early action to prevent illness, as well as reduce the impact of poor health and inequality. This funding will help us achieve our goals in the Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales programme and our efforts to combat obesity and diabetes.”