Does Traffic Light Labelling Have the Potential to Reduce Obesity Rates in the Uk
Does traffic light labelling really have the potential to reduce obesity rates in the UK?
Student ID: c3256845
The current situation regarding obesity in the UK
The past twenty years has seen obesity rates in the UK increase dramatically (HSCIC, 2013), resulting in the reduction and prevention of obesity becoming a major public health priority. The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2013) defines obesity as ‘abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health’ and body max index (BMI) is commonly used in the classification of overweight and obesity. A BMI of 25-29 makes an individual overweight and a BMI of 30 or above is classified as obese (WHO, 2013). A concerning statistic showed that in 2011 a mere 34% of men and 39% of women were defined as being a healthy weight; with a BMI between 18.5 and 25 (NHS, 2013), compared with rates in 1993 where 44% of men and 50% of women fell into this category (HSCIC, 2013). The Health Survey for England in 2010 (NHS: The Information Centre, 2012) stated that 62.8% of adults and 30.3% of children are overweight or obese, with 26.1% of these adults and 16% of these children being obese. Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, some cancers and may be detrimental to certain social aspects of life, such as finding work and can affect mental health (Department of Health, 2013). As a result of these obesity trends in 2011 it was found that approximately half of obese men and women suffered from high blood pressure and there were nearly 12,000 admissions to hospital for obesity related illnesses in 2011-2012, which had increased more than 11 times compared with figures in 2001-2002 (NHS, 2013). In 2007, the Foresight Report (Department of Health, 2007) predicted that without action being taken 60% men, 50% and 25% children would be obese by 2050. Alongside these serious implications for health and quality of life, obesity is a growing burden on
Student ID: c3256845
The current situation regarding obesity in the UK
The past twenty years has seen obesity rates in the UK increase dramatically (HSCIC, 2013), resulting in the reduction and prevention of obesity becoming a major public health priority. The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2013) defines obesity as ‘abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health’ and body max index (BMI) is commonly used in the classification of overweight and obesity. A BMI of 25-29 makes an individual overweight and a BMI of 30 or above is classified as obese (WHO, 2013). A concerning statistic showed that in 2011 a mere 34% of men and 39% of women were defined as being a healthy weight; with a BMI between 18.5 and 25 (NHS, 2013), compared with rates in 1993 where 44% of men and 50% of women fell into this category (HSCIC, 2013). The Health Survey for England in 2010 (NHS: The Information Centre, 2012) stated that 62.8% of adults and 30.3% of children are overweight or obese, with 26.1% of these adults and 16% of these children being obese. Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, some cancers and may be detrimental to certain social aspects of life, such as finding work and can affect mental health (Department of Health, 2013). As a result of these obesity trends in 2011 it was found that approximately half of obese men and women suffered from high blood pressure and there were nearly 12,000 admissions to hospital for obesity related illnesses in 2011-2012, which had increased more than 11 times compared with figures in 2001-2002 (NHS, 2013). In 2007, the Foresight Report (Department of Health, 2007) predicted that without action being taken 60% men, 50% and 25% children would be obese by 2050. Alongside these serious implications for health and quality of life, obesity is a growing burden on
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