Urgent measures needed to combat obesity problem in Britain

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Obesity will bankrupt the UK health service if action is not taken soon.
Currently, well over a half of the British population is overweight and one in five is obese, according to experts. As is well known, obesity causes many health problems and the cost to the British health service is currently nine per cent of budget. What is to be done?

People are responsible for their own health, but society and government must play a role. Too often, the easiest food choices are not the healthiest. Education alone is not enough, say the experts. They would like the food industry to take more responsibility and for the advertising of energy-dense food to be curtailed. The principles of energy balance should be taught in primary school and everyone, whatever their age, should be encouraged to change their attitudes towards diet and physical activity. Obesity should be a core part of medical training, and medical practice should focus more on the problem. Doctors must be prepared to prescribe drugs and, in some cases, surgery to help to halt the progression of obesity. If action is not taken, then the economic and social costs of the obesity problem could be overwhelming.

Source
British Medical Journal 16th December 2006 Volume 333 pages 1261-1264

Please take a moment to give us your comments. For questions about Health matters you may check our "Questions & Answers" Portal and Service.