Action call on new obesity threat
Wednesday February 17th, 2010
Campaigners called for nationwide action to tackle obesity today as a new report issued a warning about the growing girth-lines of British adults.
The National Heart Forum says there has no stemming of the growth of the problem among adults.
It warns of a 25 per cent increase in rates of heart disease by 2020 because of obesity - and a 34 per cent increase in diabetes rates.
The
British government launched a new campaign to get the nation fit today
- in response to the report.
But Peter Hollins, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, called for improved labelling of food, restrictions on TV advertising to children and better opportunities for people to get fit.
He said: "These figures predict an alarming rise in adult obesity and the knock on effect this could have on the number of people suffering from heart disease will be devastating.
"We all need to think long and hard about the long-term consequences of choices we are making today if we want to achieve a healthy old age."
The government said its Change4Life campaign met as many as one million women now said their families are eating better and undertaking increased levels of activity.
The campaign also led to people switching to low-fat milk and low-sugar drink, it said.
Health secretary Andy Burnham said the campaign was now to be directed at adults.
He said: "The beauty of the campaign is that it motivates everyone to get involved right down to local communities. For every pound we spend on the campaign, other organisations have committed to spend £3 to build momentum. This makes Change4Life a highly powerful movement.
"Unless we build on the achievements of this first year, we will still face an obesity crisis in years to come."
A prediction of Obesity Trends for Adults and their associated diseases. Analysis from the Health Survey for England 1993-2007. McPherson K, Brown M, Marsh T and Byatt T. (2010).
Tags: Diabetes | Diet & Food | Fitness | Heart Health | UK News
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