- There is little change in the proportion of adults or are overweight or obese (just over 60%), although there has been a slight rise in obesity levels (now 26%).
- 44% of overweight men and 65% of overweight women are trying to lose weight but it's clearly not working.
- 68% of obese men and 80% of obese women are trying to lose weight and it's very clearly not working.
- Adult and childhood obesity is associated with lower income and lower socioeconomic status.
- We still consume too much sugar, saturated fat and not enough fibre, fruit n veg but you knew that anyway.
- The percentages of physically active adults and physically inactive adults will be no different.
- We will be reminded of the risks of inactivity being obesity and diabetes.
You know the saying 'don't kick a man when he's down'? This came to my mind as I imagined the press release tomorrow.
These reports are negative beyond belief and the media doesn't help either. Any progress or positive upward shift is drowned by the stuck record of obesity is our biggest killer. Jeez it's almost as depressing as EastEnders, how is that going to motivate us to find some get up and go?
When they talk about a 'diagnosis of obesity' I shudder with embarrassment. Our society is made of PEOPLE. Human beings that don't need to be labelled with a derogatory tag that implies a contagious disease. Stop fat shaming and start being constructive.
Options for the 'treatment' of obesity and diabetes have seen a huge rise in pharmacological prescriptions and bariatric surgery but where is the funding for the exercise and nutrition professionals?
Telling someone again and again they 'need to lose weight', they 'need to have a balanced diet' and 'eat 5 a day' doesn't really help when our efforts are so easily undermined and no-one actually tells us HOW to make lifestyle changes. Oh hang on, I nearly forgot the 100 Calorie snacks, 2 a day max and the 400, 600 600 Cal plan. Nope that still doesn't help.
Please stop playing lip service and do something DIFFERENT! We know our research facilities are world-class, we know our plans mark a significant step forward in tackling obesity, we know changes won't happen overnight BUT what is going to be DONE?
Why are the discussions about sugar taxes, watersheds for junk food adverts, the cost of healthy food and how to get the workforce to move more are still going round in circles?
Statistics don't lead to behaviour change, action does.