Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb has warned that the NHS will face bankruptcy unless radical action is taken to stop the seemingly relentless increase in UK obesity. Research published yesterday by a team from University College London indicates that by 2012, 1 in 3 adults will be obese. At least there will be delicious irony in watching the Prime Minister welcoming all those wildly healthy athletes to our shores, while simultaneously trying to deal with the millions of obese Brits too unwell to even run to the bus stop.
Already, 9,000 adults die each year from illnesses related to obesity. There has been a big shift in focus towards the rates of obesity in children. Currently, when children first start attending school, roughly 10% of them are overweight. By the time they are eleven, this has increased to 33%. In mid-September the government announced their “Change4Life” scheme to encourage families to lead healthier lives, into which they are investing £375m. This will put a big focus on ‘social marketing’, though the NHS’ approach to marketing campaigns was yesterday heavily criticised by think tank The King’s Fund.
The researchers have warned that at least half of those affected will be from poor or disadvantaged households, meaning the gap between rich and poor will expand hugely. This is perhaps no surprise, considering how the rich have better access to facilities promoting a healthier lifestyle. It is considerably easier to exercise when your private gym is round the corner and your personal trainer is waiting. Similarly, it is very understandable why a parent on a limited budget would, after a 12 hour working day, continue to bung a cheap ready meal in the oven, rather than use their evening to buy ingredients and prepare a meal from scratch.
Emphasis on changing the habits of the next generation is right, for they need to see exercise and cooking healthily not as choices, but an unmissable part of the daily routine. Otherwise, the Olympics will finish, billions will have been spent, yet Brits nationwide will be too overweight to experience sport other than through their television screens.