Council leaders have defended their attempts to tackle malnutrition, after a shock report showed Norfolk and Waveney has the highest rates in the country.
Analysis found the region has a malnourishment rate of 6.7pc, compared with a national average for England of 5pc - meaning around one in 15 people here are not getting enough of the right foods to live healthy lives.
Leaders at Norfolk County Council faced a string of questions about what is being done to tackle the issue at a meeting of the Conservative-controlled cabinet on Wednesday (January 10).
Labour councillor Chrissie Rumsby criticised the council's recently published Ready to Change, Ready to Act public health strategy for not mentioning malnutrition.
But Bill Borrett, cabinet member for public health, said nutrition was part of the strategic plan, with the council investing more than £45m of public health grant to help people live "the healthiest lives they can".
He said: "The strategic plan prioritises the importance of health improvement for all ages seeking to ensure the best start in life. Importantly, healthy eating and nutrition are recognised as a significant factor for children and young people.
"The plan also identifies taking a healthy lifestyle behaviours approach which includes consumption of a poor diet as one of the key risk behaviours and will aim to look wider than just commissioning services."
READ MORE: Opinion: Norfolk's shocking malnutrition statistics should shame us
Labour councillor Mike Smith-Clare asked children's services cabinet member Penny Carpenter what she was doing to address causes and consequences of malnutrition in children.
Mrs Carpenter said children's services teams were helping families understand what was available, including at the increasing network of community supermarkets and stores supporting around 22,000 people as part of the council-supported Nourishing Norfolk network.
And she said commissioned council services were supporting families to enable good nutrition in the early years, including through a healthy weight programme and promoting take-up of ‘healthy start’ pre-payment cards - used to buy healthy food and milk.
Labour councillor Brenda Jones asked adult social care cabinet member Alison Thomas about increased malnutrition among older people.
Mrs Thomas said: "When we assess and review people’s care and support our teams consider a person’s nutrition and take appropriate steps to support the person to meet any needs they may have."
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