CALL FOR NEW PUBLIC HEALTH COUNCIL

A new independent public health body is proposed today to help combat the nation’s rising levels of overweight and obesity. 

Prof Philip James, chairman of the International Obesity TaskForce, called for a national public health institute, similar to those in some Scandinavian countries, to be set up to deal with physical activity and nutrition, as a new National Audit Office report warns that obesity is costing £2.5bn a year.

He also said a cabinet-rank minister should be given overall responsibility for co-ordinating action across government departments to tackle public health reforms “forgotten since the advent of the NHS”.

Prof James, a member of a panel of experts consulted by the NAO in preparing the report, said the health bill for obesity was expected to far exceed the £33bn total over the current decade estimated by the NAO. 

He warned that the costs could be even greater because of the growing epidemic of childhood obesity with its resulting surge in early onset diabetes. 

“The report’s findings are significant; it is important that we should have a coherent response to this challenge across all the government departments involved. But the National Audit Office can only assess whether government policies are being implemented effectively and not whether new policies are needed. 

“What we really need is to transform public health in England both within government and by the formation of a national public health council or institute to act independently of commercial and political interests. We need to focus on transforming the diet of children and adults even if the initiatives threaten some components of the food and soft drink industries," he added.

Professor James said that GPs and primary care services did not have a coherent approach nor adequate systems for coping with the huge workload of obesity and there was a need to identify families at risk and develop new weight management strategies in the NHS.

He also urged employers, schools and communities to adopt “lifestyle audits” to improve health and help prevent the escalating costs of overweight and obesity. “We do not need to wait for government action. We are all involved and businessmen and women, schoolteachers, parents, and individuals should be challenged to think about what they can do. We can help ourselves and especially our children. We should do our own healthy lifestyle audit to check what we can do to improve things for ourselves and for others. Let’s pass more often on the high-fat and sugar foods that tempt us and get out more to enjoy pleasurable activities from walking and dancing to sport,” he added.

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Further information contact: Neville Rigby, Director of Public Affairs – Tel 020 7691 1900 or 07939 250 347

In 1999 18.7% of men and 21.1% of women aged 16 or over were obese with a body mass index equal or greater than 30 (Department of Health survey). This compares with 6% of men and 8% of women in 1980.

During the 1990s obesity rose markedly among younger people. 

Percentage adults with BMI>30 
 

Body mass index is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by the square of height in meters.
BMI>25-29.9 = pre-obese, BMI>30 = obese.

The numbers of overweight and obese children have risen dramatically in the UK. 
Overweight increase over 10 years:
 
 

By 1994 obesity increased to 1.7% (English boys), 2.1% (Scottish boys), 2.6% (English girls), and 3.2% (Scottish girls).   Overweight and obesity figures calculated using recently published International Obesity TaskForce cut-off points for children and adolescents.

BMJ 2001 Chinn and Rona Prevalence and trends in overweight and obesity in three cross sectional studies of British children, 1974-94.