Health
Task force takes on obesity
Lecturing obese people about
diet does not help, say researchers
Action
is needed now on several fronts to prevent the problem of obesity becoming an
epidemic, say researchers.
A
task force from the British Nutrition Foundation has been examining the issues
surrounding the seriously overweight for the last two years.
And
they have come to the conclusion that the problem cannot be tackled simply by
lecturing fat people to eat less and do more exercise.
The
man chairing the task force, Professor John Garrow, told the BBC that health
education needed to be focused on obesity, which is swiftly becoming one of the
most significant causes of ill health in Britain.
He
said: "Health education has consistently ignored the subject of obesity.
They have got look after your heart programmes, but nothing for people who want
to lose weight."
Noting
the rise in the number of people having drastic hospital operations such as
stomach stapling in a bid to lose weight, he said the NHS could save money if it
organised its own slimming service.
He
said: "At the moment it rests completely on the private sector to provide
this. Some of these companies are good and some are bad."
The
latest figures show that one in five UK women, and only slightly fewer men are
now clinically obese - almost half of all adult men, and a third of women, are
classed as simply overweight.
The
task force report said: "Action is needed now to prevent the spread of the
problem to epidemic proportions."
The
task force included experts in biochemistry, medicine, dietetics, exercise,
genetics, health education, psychology and surgery.
It
said a change in "national lifestyle" was needed to involve a higher
level of physical activity, and a universal diet which includes more fruit and
vegetables.
But
in addition to this, the government must play its part, indirectly encouraging
exercise by removing the barriers which discourage people from taking part.
Cycle
lanes rather than lectures
Amanda
Wynne, a nutrition scientist at the foundation, said: "Things that can be
done might include setting up more cycle lanes so people feel safer riding
bicycles, or dealing with crime and improving street lighting, which would
encourage people to walk more.
"We
have been saying to people: 'Go on a diet and take exercise' for years, and
levels of obesity are still rising. We need new policies to promote physical
activity and healthy eating.
"It's
a global approach to obesity that is needed."
She
said research had shown that obesity had risen despite an overall decrease in
the daily energy intake of the average person.
Ms
Wynne added: "Many families these days have two cars - we have become a
very inactive nation."