The government was accused of rhetoric and inaction yesterday over ways to help people adopt fitter lifestyles as ministers searched for more ideas on improving diet and exercise.
Consultations on diet and exercise launched at an obesity summit in London invited industry, pressure groups and the general public to comment on "key goals", from reducing salt, fat and sugar in foods to encouraging employers to "engage and motivate staff" to be more active.
Instead they drew hostile reactions from consumers demanding more regulation of food and its advertising, particularly to children, and from Tories who feel the government is still flirting with the nanny state.
The picture is being muddied by mixed messages from ministers, who one moment suggest there will be increased pressure on manufacturers to label products "high in salt" or "high in fat", or even the floating of a "fat tax", and the next deny any desire to bring in compulsory measures.
The consultation paper on diet suggested measures proposed by the food industry on reducing salt were a good example of the "vital role" manufacturers had in enabling consumers to improve their health.
Yet Melanie Johnson, the public health minister, told a press conference she was "disappointed" by the food industry. She had asked manufacturers "to produce information that was on a clear time scale with some clear commitments. We have got progress. They are producing some further guidance in reducing salt with some clear commitments."
Ms Johnson insisted the idea of new advertising curbs was still on the agenda. But the issue was not only for government, industry, consumer groups, or the media.
"Individuals also have to take responsibility for their diets or those of people in their charge."
Sue Davies, principal policy officer of the Consumers' Association, launched a blistering attack on the government's approach. She said the consultation paper on choosing a better diet had "no plan of action to tackle these problems".
It also failed to give sufficient attention to "tackling the misleading way that food and health messages are promoted".
Tim Yeo, the Tory health spokesman, said the government's approach to tackling obesity was "disastrously muddled". The Tories have set up their own advisory group on obesity to concentrate on bringing about behaviour change.
Martin Paterson, deputy director of the Food and Drink Federation, said: "We don't believe you can tax people into fitness or regulate maufacturers into making products their consumers will not buy.
