Five-year drive to cut obesity rate

East Riding Council's Cabinet is meeting today to discuss a draft Healthy Weight Strategy for the region, which has been drawn up by its director of public health, Dr Tim Allison, and NHS East Riding.

Its goals are to reverse a trend of rising obesity among children and increase physical activity among adults by 2015, to combat the "modern epidemic" of health problems caused by people being chronically overweight.

However, in his foreword to the strategy, Dr Allison concedes the targets are challenging.

"These are ambitious goals," he said.

"To achieve them we must be aware that people want to live healthy lives and respond to it appropriately.

"Sustainable change can be made when individuals see the link between a healthy life and a healthy weight and so want to make changes to the way they live."

They will also require investment.

Outlining the strategy, the report said: "...it is important to stress that for the strategy to be successful will require sustainable funding for the medium to long term if a real difference is to be made to people's lives, and we are to turn the curve and reduce the unhealthy extremes of weight and the costs associated with treatment."

According to data for 2008-09, more than 10 per cent of children aged between four and five in the East Riding were already obese when they started school, while nearly 17 per cent of 10- to 11-year-olds were obese.

According to 6,000 respondents to a lifestyle survey in 2009, 19.2 per cent of men in the East Riding are obese and 19.1 per cent of women.

Extremes of low weight and obesity have been linked to more than 9,000 premature deaths a year in England.

The cost to the NHS in England for obesity in 2007 was estimated at 4.2bn, and this is expected to rise to 6.3bn by 2015, and 10bn a year by 2050.

Costs to society and business are projected to reach 49.9bn by 2050, based on today's prices.

Excess weight can lead to Type Two diabetes, cardiovascular disease and strokes.

The report said genetic make-up appears to influence the metabolism and distribution of body fat, and is thought to contribute between 25 and 40 per cent of the causes of excessive weight gain.

But it added: "...the rapid increase in levels of obesity throughout the developed world has occurred in too short a time for there to have been significant genetic changes within the population.

"It is therefore likely that this so-called epidemic has been brought about by mainly environmental and behavioural changes which have led to a more energy-dense (high calorie) diet and more sedentary way of life."

However, Dr Allison said that although support and advice should be given, people should take personal responsibility for their weight.

He said: "The responsibility of maintaining a healthy weight is that of the individual.

"We should not tell people how to live their lives, but we can offer opportunities and information for families to make healthy choices.

"This strategy has a significant focus on supporting local people to make those choices which will reduce obesity."

The report also notes that there are fewer support activities for people who are underweight, and services should be developed if a greater need is identified.