Call for early action to tackle ‘alarming' rise of childhood obesity
They said that the first 1,000 days of life – from pregnancy through to a child's second birthday – are 'critical to development and health across the life-course' as they called for early action to prevent obesity in children.
These interventions could include: helping women to begin pregnancy at a healthy weight; encouraging breastfeeding, which is linked with a reduced risk of childhood obesity and avoiding 'rapid catch-up growth' in low birth weight babies.
'The overall goal should be to establish and maintain a healthy body-weight trajectory that avoids excess gain early in life,' experts from the UK Academy of Medical Sciences and the Italian National Academy of Sciences said.
In the UK, 1.3 million children are obese and a further 2.3 million are overweight, the authors said.
The authors highlight how single interventions 'such as diet or physical activity, in single settings' rarely work without consideration of wider factors which may contribute to childhood obesity.
The report says that portraying obesity as a 'character flaw' leads to stigmatisation which can be counterproductive and may increase the risk of unhealthy diet and lifestyle, but positive messages about the benefits of maintaining a healthy weight may work better.
'Childhood obesity has become an urgent public health challenge that is both affecting lives today and storing up problems for the future,' the report states.
According to the latest National Childhood Measurement Programme figures, one in ten (9.6%) children in England are obese when they begin their schooling.
And 22.1% of 10 and 11-year-olds in Year 6 are obese.
Obesity is higher in boys than girls, the figures show.
And those living in poorer neighbourhoods are more likely to be obese compared to those in the wealthiest.
The authors of the new report highlight how levels of obesity in deprived areas is creating a 'vicious cycle' because obesity is linked to reduced job opportunities which in turn is a risk factor for weight gain.
The new report comes as the Government prepares to launch it's 10 year plan for health, which has a focus on preventing ill health from occurring in the first place.
Under new proposals set out in the plan retailers could be made to set targets to increase their sales of less fattening products.
But the authors of the new report said that 'robust' regulation of the food industry is needed rather than relying on voluntary agreements, with evidence supporting taxation of unhealthy products and potential subsidies for healthier options.
'The first 1,000 days, including time in the womb, represent an important window of opportunity to set children on a healthy trajectory for life,' said Professor Susan Ozanne, co-chair of the report.
'Once obesity is established, it becomes increasingly harder to reverse.
'This isn't about individual willpower or blaming and shaming – it's about creating an environment for parents, carers and their children that supports healthy development from the very beginning.'
Professor Rosalind Smyth, clinical vice-president at the Academy of Medical Sciences, added: 'When we address health inequalities in the earliest years, we're not just improving individual outcomes – we're building the foundations for a healthier, more productive society.
'The evidence reinforces that prevention, which requires a cross-sectoral approach, must be co-ordinated across all government departments.'
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Good nutrition is essential to giving babies the best start in life and this government has set a bold ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.
'As part of our 10 Year Health Plan, food retailers and manufacturers will 'make the healthy choice the easy choice' in a world-first partnership between government and industry to tackle the obesity epidemic and ease pressure on the NHS.
'We have also set out plans to tackle widening health inequalities through fundamental reforms to our health system – putting an end to a postcode lottery of care, and we have allocated an extra £57 million for Start for Life services, helping expectant and new mothers with their infants.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
4 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Opinion: Labour has betrayed Powys patients over health
Powys residents are being treated as second-class citizens by the Welsh Government, writes James Evans MS. A £120 million fund announced to cut waiting times across Wales will not cover Powys residents receiving care in English hospitals. A recent Powys Health Board decision means that patients who have their care in English hospitals are now having operations intentionally delayed because Powys Teaching Health Board cannot afford to pay. This is a betrayal of border communities who rely on cross-border care. This is not about capacity or lack of doctors or nurses – this is about money. I've challenged the Cabinet Secretary for Health on this. People here pay the same taxes, they deserve the same treatment! This crisis doesn't stop at cross-border care. Our NHS in Wales is sadly in the worst state it's ever been. Nearly one in five people in Wales are on a waiting list. Thousands are stuck in pain for over two years. A&E targets are being missed month after month, with long waits and care in corridors. Ambulances are queuing outside hospitals not able to respond back to the communities for 999 calls. GP practices are struggling under immense pressure. NHS dentistry is close to collapse with less than half of the Welsh population able to access NHS dental care. In Powys, as in the rest of Wales, people are living in pain or giving up on trying to get an appointment altogether. However you look at it, things badly need to change in Wales. The staff do their best in challenging circumstances and my thanks go to each and every one on the frontline. Processes, procedures need to change, top level management need to be accountable for failures. That includes the Health Minister! What patients need is treatment, not hashtags, slogans, or spin. We need a clear recovery plan for the NHS with proper accountability and a long-term strategy to train and retain our healthcare workforce.
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Dozens of overweight and obese people complain they have been fat-shamed by NHS doctors - as one tells patient: Surgery will be tricky - you're carrying two suitcases
Dozens of overweight and obese patients have complained to the NHS, claiming they have been 'fat-shamed' by doctors. An investigation has found at least 74 complaints have been made to hospital managers across England in the past 12 months. In one incident, a patient said they were told they were carrying 'two suitcases' around with them, while another was informed by a consultant that the reason they could not see clearly was because their 'face was too fat'. Another patient was told to be careful rolling over 'because it is only a slim bed', while a doctor elsewhere told a female patient that 'middle-aged overweight women are my worst nightmare'. The dossier of complaints emerged from a Freedom of Information request and the true volume is likely to be much higher as most trusts were unable to disclose the number of incidents. Nearly two thirds of adults in the UK (64 per cent) are estimated to be overweight, while one in four is obese, according to figures. Excess weight is associated with a range of chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and liver and lung conditions. The Government has committed to an anti-obesity strategy which includes public health campaigns, the expansion of NHS services for weight management – including making weight loss jabs Mounjaro and Wegovy more accessible – and placing restrictions and higher taxes on unhealthy foods. Guidance to doctors advises using 'positive' language, and avoiding making assumptions about a patient's diet or lifestyle or anything that 'could be interpreted as moral judgment'. But it is a tricky balance – and some doctors are said to believe straight-talking can encourage many patients to take action. In May, former Great British Bake Off star Laura Adlington, 36, said she had been 'fat-shamed' by the NHS while trying to undergo IVF treatment. She described her experience, which involved being weighed in a corridor and denied tests because of her weight, as 'dreadful' and she subsequently went private. In one case, at Royal Free London Trust, a patient was told they were 'eating too much fast food' and to be careful turning over during an examination as 'it's only a slim bed'. At Salisbury NHS Trust a doctor told a female patient that they 'need to stop eating to lose weight', and then pointed at her mouth. The medic, who later apologised, added 'and then it won't go on here' – slapping the patient on the hips. A patient treated at Isle of Wight NHS Trust moved their care to another doctor after the first one allegedly told them that 'middle-aged overweight women are my worst nightmare'. At University Hospitals Dorset, one patient complained that a doctor had 'already made his mind up' about them based on an X-ray, and that 'the only way forward was to lose weight'. At the same trust, another person claimed they were denied a hernia operation because they were deemed 'too fat'. The NHS has spent £40million on specialist equipment for obese patients over the past five years, including beds, stretchers and chairs which accommodate larger people. Dr Martin Scurr, the Daily Mail's GP expert, said: 'This is something I feel very passionate about. We do have a problem in this country with pussyfooting around stating the obvious. 'Sometimes, in order to be kind you have to risk being cruel. The main thing doctors have to do is get the message across about the health issue.' But Sarah Le Brocq, from the All About Obesity charity, said: 'Obesity is a chronic condition – we wouldn't shame people for having cancer, so why do we do it for obesity?' Morrisons' £129-a-month fat jab club Supermarket giant Morrisons has been mocked by shoppers after it announced it had opened a £129-a-month fat jab club alongside its aisles of sugary treats. Customers are unimpressed it is promoting tirzepatide injections, or Mounjaro, which can help customers lose a fifth of their weight. One shopper Dave Carter said: 'It's genius really. The store sells you unhealthy grub that gets you fat, then wants vast sums of money to get you thin.' Another joked on social media: 'Stuff your face with a six pack of doughnuts, a multipack of Walkers crisps, a few sausage rolls followed by a tub of Ben & Jerry's – and then for the privilege of parting with £129 you might lose weight!' The clinic was announced a month after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency launched a probe into the safety of jabs. Morrisons has more than 100 pharmacies and will raise the fee to £159 a month after the initial offer. It said its weight management medications were 'prescribed and dispensed responsibly'.
The Herald Scotland
8 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Starmer urged to engage with Scotland over Gaza evacuations
But Mr Swinney claims to have received no response from the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has not responded to Mr Swinney's calls, the First Minister said (Frank Augstein/PA) In a statement to the PA news agency, Mr Swinney said: 'It is deeply saddening that so far the UK Government has refused to even enter into a dialogue about medical evacuations for children in Gaza who, without proper medical attention, will be left to die. 'That is the frank reality of life in Gaza under Israeli bombardment and blockade. 'The healthcare system in Gaza is on the brink of total collapse, with surgeons working day and night under artillery fire, with inadequate supplies and often no electricity. 'We know that many hospitals have been targeted and decimated by the IDF (Israel Defence Forces).' The First Minister added that Scotland is prepared 'to do what is required to save the lives of as many of these kids as we can'. His initial call came after a meeting with children's charity Unicef, prompting him to declare a 'race against time' to help children in need of urgent medical care. 'But we can't do so without the support of the Labour Government to get the children through the UK visa system and into Scotland,' he said. 'The suffering, torment and killing of the people of Gaza has gone on for far too long. 'I urge the Prime Minister to urgently engage with the Scottish Government on this issue so we can save as many young lives as we can.' A spokeswoman for the UK Government said: 'Since the start of the conflict, UK support has provided essential healthcare to over 430,000 people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 'We have helped several children with complex paediatric conditions access privately funded medical care in the UK, supporting an initiative by Project Pure Hope. 'We have been clear the situation in Gaza is intolerable and that there must be an immediate ceasefire. 'We urge Israel to let vital humanitarian aid in and allow Gazans to receive urgent healthcare, including allowing the sick and wounded to temporarily leave the Gaza Strip to receive treatment.'
