Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP today said the SNP Government needs to step up efforts to improve Scotland's wellbeing after new statistics showed health and lifestyle measures “stagnating”.

Statistics published today showed:

• The measure of mental wellbeing for adults is at its lowest level since recording began in 2008;
• Two thirds of adults are overweight, including 28% who are obese;
• A third of men drink to levels described as hazardous or harmful;
• Only around 1 in 5 adults met the 5-a-day recommendation, while 10% didn’t consume any fruit or vegetables the previous day.

Mr Cole-Hamilton commented:

“Far too many critical measures of Scotland’s heath are stagnating.

"Deep-seated unhealthy lifestyle choices are having a serious impact on our physical wellbeing and causing an obesity epidemic. Meanwhile, mental ill health is at crisis levels.

"These figures show the urgent need to make a transformative investment in mental health and for public health interventions on the scale of the smoking ban, only this time focusing on Scotland's poor diet and lack of activity."