WHY THE NHS STRUGGLES WITH OBESITY
Obesity has once again brought our country to a pin-point as a major problem facing the country. Former Natwest bank chief Sir Derek Wanless, is now warning the issue could overwhelm the health service as the number of obese people in our country is changing to an epidemic.
Obesity is now dealt not only by diet doctors but much of the best work on obesity is being done by community-based programmes. An example of one of the most successful programmes is the Mend Programme run by the Institute of Child Health in London. The nine week course involves the whole family and the major aim is to improve diet, levels of exercise and behaviour.
Overweight children are encouraged to exercise regularly and the parents are taught how to choose nutritional diets for the family. In 2004 obesity was seen as one of the key priorities in the public health white paper. The number of fat children has doubled in the last ten years with one in four children aged 11-15 years now classified as obese-so fat that it threatens their health.
Many health professionals believed the Governments aim of stopping the year-on-year rise in obesity among the 11s by 1210 was unachievable. It was dropped last week without any announcements from the three departments involved and replaced by a different target that does have to be met until 2020.
Overweight children are encouraged to exercise regularly and the parents are taught how to choose nutritional diets for the family. In 2004 obesity was seen as one of the key priorities in the public health white paper. The number of fat children has doubled in the last ten years with one in four children aged 11-15 years now classified as obese-so fat that it threatens their health.
Many health professionals believed the Governments aim of stopping the year-on-year rise in obesity among the 11s by 1210 was unachievable. It was dropped last week without any announcements from the three departments involved and replaced by a different target that does have to be met until 2020.