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Parents unaware of obesity

9 October 2008

Obesity is now emerging as a major public health problem and is overtaking smoking as a hazard to health

Dr Colin Waine, Chair of the National Obesity Forum

Key facts
  • In adults, ‘overweight’ is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of over 25 and ‘obesity’ is a BMI of over 30. This is measured differently for children. To work out your BMI, see our BMI calculator.
  • Being overweight or obese increases your risk of a range of illnesses such as coronary heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer.
  • As a nation we are getting fatter. Obesity levels have tripled since the 1980s, and in 2006 nearly two-thirds of all adults and almost one-third of children in the UK were overweight or obese.
  • By 2015, obesity and overweight-related illnesses could directly cost the NHS £6.3 billion.
  • It’s been estimated that by 2050, 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women in the UK could be obese.
  • The main reason for the increasing rates of obesity seems to be a combination of less active lifestyles and changes in eating patterns.

Lack of awareness about obesity is harming our health, according to a Department of Health toolkit published this week.

According to the report, only 12 percent of parents with overweight or obese children realise that their child has a weight problem. Many parents also underestimate how much unhealthy food they buy, and use unhealthy snacks to reward good behaviour.

The ‘Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives’ toolkit aims to raise awareness about obesity in local communities around the UK, and highlights its negative impact on our health.

The toolkit reveals that just 38 percent of adults surveyed knew that obesity can lead to heart disease. And only six percent knew that being overweight is linked to an increased risk of cancer.

Dr Colin Waine, Chair of the National Obesity Forum told the Bupa Health Information Team: "Obesity is now emerging as a major public health problem and is overtaking smoking as a hazard to health; tackling it is a major priority."

‘Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives’ emphasises that the key to tackling obesity is to involve whole families and to get children into healthy habits early on. Tactics include giving families the information they need to prepare healthy meals and understand portion sizes. The report also encourages more active behaviour in place of watching TV.

To help tackle obesity, Bupa is launching an initiative called Activ-Eat in which employees will visit primary schools to promote healthy eating and fitness. The programme supports the Healthy Schools initiative and Bupa plans to reach more than 3,000 children over the next year, with the help of 160 employees. Claire Atkinson, Bupa community affairs officer, said: “By the age of 11, one in three children is overweight or obese, according to the 2008 National Child Measurement Programme."

"As a leading health and care organisation, Bupa is concerned by this increasing problem as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis are all conditions linked to obesity. Through Activ-Eat, Bupa is investing in the health of local communities."

Activ-Eat encourages pupils to taste different fruits from around the world, make healthy smoothies and play games that highlight the importance of eating a balanced diet.

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