Responding to the latest NHS Digital figures on
obesity, physical activity and diet which show that nearly one
third of all adults and 20 per cent of year six children in
England are obese, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local
Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board,
said:
“Obesity is one of our most serious public health
challenges and these figures are a wake-up call on what is needed
to help combat this epidemic.
“Early intervention and prevention work by councils,
which are responsible for public health, is vital to deal with
this. Not only does it reduce the risk of people having their
lives shortened by obesity-related conditions such as diabetes,
cancer and heart disease, but it also keeps the pressure off the
NHS and adult social care.
“Councils are leading efforts to fight obesity but
have seen their public health funding budgets fall by £700
million in real terms since 2015/16, which needs to be reversed
in the upcoming Spending Review if they are to continue this
cost-effective work and reduce health inequalities between
different areas.
“It is also abundantly clear that radical action is
needed in the Government’s impending green paper on prevention,
to truly help reduce the nearly one third of all adults and the
20 per cent of year 6 children who are classified as
obese.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
-
NHS Digital statistics on Obesity,
Physical Activity and Diet, England, 2019
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/statistics-on-obesity-physical-activity-and-diet/statistics-on-obesity-physical-activity-and-diet-england-2019#summary
