DH Flesh Out Obesity Strategy
Last week we featured MyFoodPhone, a mobile based service to help people adhere to dietary regimes. Given that what many people suffering with weight problems need, and in most cases want, is guidance and information it is surprising that more communications technology is not being thrown at this problem. In the UK getting NHS Direct to start an interactive service aimed at the obese would be a start – perhaps with the food industry contributing in some way. For now we will have to make do with the leaflets and brochures published this week.
The Obesity Care Pathway booklet for health professionals explains how to best approach and advise patients about managing their weight. Diagrams and cards about raising the issue of weight to children and adults are also included.
The Your Weight, Your Health guide gives advice to patients on losing weight through changes to diet and physical activity.
The leaflet, Why Weight Matters has also been published for overweight or obese patients who are unsure about making the necessary changes to their lifestyles.
The DH’s commitment to producing material for healthcare professionals and patients on weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight was set out in the Government’s Choosing Health White Paper, published in November 2004.
The Obesity Bulletin, also published today, outlines the latest developments and good practice in the Government's obesity programme, which is jointly led by the DH, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Education and Skills.
New guidance has also been provided to primary care trusts (PCTs) on recording and handling data on children’s height and weight measurements.
Obesity is responsible for more than 9,000 premature deaths per year in England. Obesity is an important risk factor for a number of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes.
The prevalence of obesity in children aged under 11 increased from 9.9 percent in 1995 to 13.7 percent in 2003 (Health Survey for England, 1995-2003). Prevalence has trebled since the 1980s, and well over half of all adults are either overweight or obese - almost 24 million adults. Obesity in both adults and children is more common among lower social groups.
In July 2004 a target specifically on obesity was set for the first time - 'halting the year-on-year rise in obesity among children aged under 11 by 2010 in the context of a broader strategy to tackle obesity in the population as a whole'.
Article
Linear Mode
