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Obesity Prevention Policy

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Obesity Prevention Policy
Obesity Prevention
The purpose of this work is to explore and discuss the current obesity epidemic within the UK, how the government proposes to tackle the problem, and the current policy strategies. How the current policy and its implementation have an impact on population and cost will also be discussed. To obtain the information from a range of websites and books will be searched and reviewed. To provide evidence for these claims, I will be including statistics for each cause.
“Health policy refers to decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve specific health care goals with a society”. An explicit health policy can achieve several things: it defines a vision for the future which in turn helps to establish targets and points of reference for the short and medium term. It outlines priorities and the expected roles of different groups, and it builds consensus and informs people”, (1948).The World Health Organization (WHO, 1948) defines obesity as “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health”. Obesity is a condition in which weight gain has reached the point of seriously endangering health. The increasing epidemic of obesity amounts adults and children is a major public health concern both nationally and internationally.
The (NHS Plan, 2000), on diet, nutrition and physical activity are important elements for improving health and reducing inequalities”. Action is planned to tackle obesity and physical inactivity, informed by advice from the new Health Development Agency established in April 2000’. The NHS Plan also includes action to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and work with the food industry to improve the overall balance of the diet including salt, fat and sugar in food, working with the Food Standards Agency. (Department of Health, 2000). This process was also influenced by the Department of Health to produce and publish a strategy for Public Health in the UK,


References: An update on the government’s approach to tackling obesity. (2012). National Audit Office. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/tackling_obesity_update.pdf. [Accessed 12 July 2013]. BMA. Obesity policy and facts. (2013). [ONLINE] Available at: http://bma.org.uk/working-for-change/improving-and-protecting-health/obesity/obesity-policy-and-facts .[Accessed 06 July 2013]. BMC Public Health. Analysis of the UK recommendations on obesity based on a proposed implementation framework. (2010). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/17. [Accessed 05 July 2013] Department of Health Facts and figures on obesity, Dept of Health. (April 2012) GOV.UK Half of UK obese by 2030. Health News. NHS Choices. (2011). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2011/08August/Pages/half-of-uk-predicted-to-be-obese-by-2030.aspx. [Accessed 12 July 2013]. Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our strategy for public health in England. Department of Health. (2010). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm79/7985/7985.pdf. [Accessed 12 July 2013]. House of Commons. Tackling Child Obesity First Steps. (2006). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmpubacc/157/157.pdf.[Accessed 07 July 2013]. House of Commons Health selects Committee, 2004. NHS. NICE implementation update report. (2010). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nice.org.uk/media/250/38/ImpUptakeReportCG43.pdf. [Accessed 18 April 2013]. Obesity and Overweight for Professionals. (2013). Adult Causes. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/causes/index.html. [Accessed 18 April 2013].  Obesity, NICE Clinical Guideline. (2006) Obesity Obesity. NHS Choices. (2011). [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Obesity/Pages/Introduction.aspx. [Accessed 06 July 2013]. Reducing obesity and improving diet. Department of Health. Obesity. (2011). [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/department-calls-for-action-on-obesity Tackling Obesity in England WHO. Europe Policy. (2013). [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.euro.who.int/en/what-we-do/health-topics/noncommunicable-diseases/obesity/policy . [Accessed 06 July 2013]. WHO. Health policy. (1948). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.who.int/topics/health_policy/en/. [Accessed 17 April 2013]. WHO. Obesity. (1948). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.who.int/topics/obesity/en/. [Accessed 05 July 2013].
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