Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Latest NewsHealth and safetyOccupational HealthWellbeing

Attempts to curb rising obesity levels will be ‘challenging’

by Personnel Today 1 Aug 2012
by Personnel Today 1 Aug 2012

Rates of obesity in the UK have slowed in the past decade but the issue of how much Britons weigh is going to be an increasingly expensive health problem, the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned.

The memorandum on the Government’s approach to tackling obesity in England was prepared by the NAO at the request of the Public Accounts Committee.

It has concluded that the Government’s ambitions on obesity outlined last autumn – to have achieved a downward trend in levels of average excess weight among both adults and children by 2020 – will be “challenging”.

The total cost to the economy of being overweight or obese was estimated in 2007 as being around £16 billion per year, and this is forecast to rise to £50 billion per year by 2050 if the problem is left unchecked, the NAO highlighted.

Moreover, the proportion of the population who are obese or overweight is increasing, and the cost to the NHS of treating people for associated health conditions is now estimated to be more than £5 billion per year, it added.

In 2010, just over a quarter of adults (26% of both men and women) were obese, while a further 42% of men and 32% of women were overweight, said the NAO.

The only good news was that the rate of increase in the obese population had slowed, from an average 0.9% yearly growth between 1993 and 2002 to an average of 0.5% between 2002 and 2010.

However, according to modelling carried out for the Government Office for Science, if trends continue at the current rates, 60% of men, half of women and a quarter of those aged under 20 years old could be obese by 2050, it added.

There is evidence that obesity among children up to the age of 15 may have peaked in 2004, but levels are still well above those in 1995, and in 2010, 16% of children were obese, it said.

The NAO also highlighted that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently drafting guidance to tackle obesity locally using community-wide approaches. This is expected to be published in November.

The Department of Health has asked NICE to produce three further pieces of guidance looking at lifestyle management services for overweight and obese adults and children, plus the assessment of thresholds for body mass index and waist circumference in black and minority ethnic groups.

Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
Using data to direct employee wellbeing initiatives
next post
Benefits Overhaul 2012: Part 5 – Senior staff only?

You may also like

‘It’s International HR Day – wait, you didn’t...

20 May 2022

Policeman dubbed ‘Dolly Parton’ for working Nine to...

20 May 2022

Adapt culture to hybrid work: do not force...

20 May 2022

Three in 10 say physical health has worsened...

20 May 2022

Women in FTSE 350 leadership: ‘A lot of...

20 May 2022

City firms pledge to improve social mobility in...

20 May 2022

Obesity prevalence projections show 36% will be obese...

20 May 2022

Squishy, flabby, foggy HR? Andrew Bartlow talks to...

20 May 2022

Movers and shakers May 2022: John Lewis and...

20 May 2022

City workers desert offices in favour of hybrid...

20 May 2022

  • The importance of being an ethical leader and how to become one PROMOTED | What is ethical leadership?...Read more
  • RPO Report: 2022, The Year to Outsource PROMOTED | Employers should be overwhelmed with choice...Read more
  • Report: Enabling organisational agility through talent & people success PROMOTED | Work has been challenged...Read more
  • Employee Trends 2022 report PROMOTED | Edenred research on employees analysed the key employees’ trends for 2022...Read more
  • How finance apprenticeships can boost business PROMOTED | As the world’s most forward-thinking professional accountancy body...Read more
  • Paul Devoy: Showing appreciation to the Investors in People community PROMOTED | Ask most people what comes to mind when you mention Investors in People...Read more
  • White paper: How digitalisation can support evolving occupational health PROMOTED | Download this free white paper to discover how digitalisation can help occupational health meet emerging challenges...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today