Five point plan for tackling obesity in Scotland
Thursday, 04 Sep 2008 09:04
A five-point plan for tackling obesity in Scotland has been sent to MSPs
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A five-point plan for tackling obesity in Scotland has been sent to MSPs by health experts.
BMA Scotland published the briefing paper today in advance of a debate of obesity in the Scottish parliament.
The paper highlights the long-term health consequences of obesity and calls on ministers to take a cross-governmental approach to addressing soaring levels of obesity in Scotland's children.
In Scotland in 2006/07, one in five primary school children were overweight, with 8.5 per cent obese and 4.3 per cent severely obese.
The report recommends that the Scottish government should focus on five key areas in tackling the problem, including: nutrition in schools, exercise, the media and advertising, food labelling and health claims and the role of health professionals.
Dr Dean Marshall, chairman of the BMA's Scottish general practitioners
committee, said: "Childhood obesity rates in Scotland are worryingly high. The government's action plan provides little detail on real actions that will reverse this trend. It is time for the government to take tough action.
"Obesity is a very serious issue that can lead to a number of life-threatening health problems. We are in danger of raising a generation of children burdened with long term chronic health conditions.
"Doctors have a role to play in supporting overweight patients and talking about the dangers of obesity but there is a limit to what they can do. The BMA has been lobbying the government for some time to take real action on this issue in order to achieve a real improvement in the future health of our children."
Over 40 people a day are diagnosed with diabetes, most of which are type two diabetes cases – a condition closely linked to obesity.
Experts warn that increasing rates in childhood obesity will also lead to increases in the cases of heart disease, osteoarthritis and some cancers.
Dr Marshall added: "Prevention is much better than cure. It is better, healthier and safer if children are given the tools to manage their weight, eat healthily and take more exercise. But no one is saying this is easy.
"It is crucial that we take the opportunity to halt the rise of obesity, and the host of illnesses that come with it. It is vital that the Scottish government acts without further delay."