The largest study ever conducted in the UK on the issue of obesity has thrown new light on what causes a person to become overweight. If you thought it was bad eating habits and lack of exercise alone, or a combination of the two and genes, this report by think tank Foresight adds ’society’ to the list. According to the ‘Foresight report on Tackling Obesities: Future Choices’, obesity is an inevitable consequence of a society flooded with energy-dense and cheap foods, labor-saving devices, motorized transport and sedentary work.
Obesity is turning out to be a weighty problem for the UK. Researchers predict that if the current obesity growth rates continue, some 60 percent of men, 50 percent of women and 25 percent of children in the country will be obese by 2050. In 2002, those who were overweight or obese cost nearly £7bn in treatment, state benefits and indirect costs such as loss of earnings and reduced productivity. This led the health department to commission the study involving some 250 experts.
The study pointed out that the government had taken steps to encourage a healthier lifestyle but more effort was required to counter the “obesogenic environment” by designing towns and cities to promote walking and cycling and encouraging people to buy healthier food. Sir David King, the government’s chief scientific adviser and head of the Foresight program says while personal responsibility is important, the study shows the problem is much more complicated and only change across many elements of society will help fight this menace.
Image: Healthinmotion
Via: BBC, News-Medical
