As policymakers react to the Darzi
Review, a new report from The
Food Foundation using the Global Burden of Disease (1) data shows the deaths and
number of years lost to disability resulting from obesity and
overweight and poor diets across the UK.
Public health experts are
now calling for changes to how we eat to play a key role in
saving the NHS.
The report shows
that:-
-
Obesity & overweight, is the
leading risk factor for years living with disability in the UK,
with the number of years having increased by a third (32%) in
the last decade, and doubled since
1990
-
Over the course 2021, across the UK
population an equivalent of 755,212 years of life were affected
by disability due to obesity and
overweight
-
Obesity and overweight was also
responsible for nearly 40,000 deaths for adults aged 20+ in
2021, an increase of 13% in the last
decade
-
Dietary risks, such as eating too
little fruit, veg and fibre and eating too much processed meat,
red meat and foods high in fat, sugar and salt add further to
the number of years living with disability and
deaths
-
While years lost to disability from
tobacco are declining, since the turn of the century years lost
from obesity and overweight outnumber those from
smoking
-
Relatively small dietary shifts
could lead to at least a 10% reduction in both deaths and years
living with disability due to dietary risk factors
The new report illustrates how serious
the impact of poor diet on the nation's health has become, with
overweight and obesity, as well as dietary risks, driving a large
amount of death and disability in the UK. This data comes amid
concerns about pressures on the NHS and economic inactivity in
the workforce. Recent figures from ONS estimate that as many
as 2.8 million people aged 16-64 years are economically inactive because of
long-term sickness. This is clearly not
sustainable.
The new report includes modelling
which shows the dietary changes that could reduce years living
with disability and death if the government took steps towards
building a food system where dietary shifts are made easier for
citizens.
If on average everyone in the UK was
to eat 30% more fruit and vegetables, 50% more fibre, 25% less
high in fat sugar and salt foods and 30% less meat (as
recommended but the National Food Strategy) this could have
significant impact. On an individual level this could be achieved
through changes such as substituting about 30g of beef mince or a
rasher of bacon with half can of kidney beans, eating an extra
apple every day, whilst cutting out the equivalent of a third of
a (large) can of Pringles.
The Food Foundation estimates that
these changes could lead to at least a 10% reduction in both
deaths and years living with disability due to dietary risk
factors. That's 6,000 lives saved and the total number of
years living with disability reduced by around 29,000 years,
every year.
This reduction would have important
implications for boosting our economy by reducing economic
inactivity caused by poor health, while also reducing pressures
on the NHS and supporting interventions to rebuild it. To make
this a reality however, government leadership and commitment will
be vital.
Jamie Oliver, celebrity chef
and food campaigner said, "Sadly it isn't new news that poor diet and obesity are
the leading risk factors for preventable – ie, entirely avoidable
– diseases in the UK. But it is disappointing that this
issue still
isn't being prioritised, putting
unnecessary strain on both the NHS and our workforce. It doesn't
have to be this way. The
findings of the Darzi Review have shown that we need to prevent
people getting ill in the first place to relieve pressure on the
NHS, and diet is key to this. Across the world we're seeing leaders take action,
stopping the overwhelming bombardment of junk food advertising
and making the healthy choice the easy one. And they're reaping
the rewards. Surely, it's time our government stepped up and
followed suit"
Henry
Dimbleby, the
former government food tsar and author of the National Food
Strategy, said, “The
Darzi Review has shown the true
extent of the crisis the NHS is facing. If we are to move from
treating sickness to preventing it, it is essential that we
change the way we eat. The link between poor diets, ill health,
disability and even death is shockingly clear. This has to stop.
Now is the opportunity for the government to introduce policies
to ensure that everyone can access the foods needed to keep them
healthy, and that the food industry is regulated to stem the
relentless flow of junk food that has become a lethal cultural
norm.”
Anna Taylor, Executive
Director at The Food Foundation said,
“In response to the Darzi Review,
says one of the three big shifts the NHS needs is
from treating sickness to preventing it. This new data shows
this must start with food. The new Government has an opportunity to reset our
approach to food. There are “no cost” steps which can be
taken immediately to make healthy and sustainable food options
more accessible and affordable for all, and in turn reduce the
risk of preventable disease and disability. The government's
Health Mission should take these steps without
delay”
ENDS
Notes to
editor
-
The Global Burden of Disease 2021
data is produced by the Institute of Health Metrics and
Evaluation https://www.healthdata.org/gbd/methods-appendices-2021/dietary-risks
