Shock obesity statistics revealed
Nine out of 10 British adults and two-thirds of children will be overweight or obese by the middle of this century unless eating and exercise habits change, Health Secretary Alan Johnson has warned.
Predictions from a Government agency suggest that the cost to the UK of the obesity epidemic will treble to £50 billion a year by 2050 unless urgent action is taken.
The Health Secretary highlighted the shock statistics ahead of Tuesday’s launch of a £400 million Change4Life public health campaign to encourage families to eat better, eat less and exercise more.
of modern life – we eat too much and don’t take enough exercise to burn off the calories.
“That’s why so many people are overweight. If this trend continues, by 2050, nine out of 10 adults and two-thirds of all children will be overweight or obese.
“That’s why we are taking action now. Change4Life is the beginning of the biggest ever grassroots movement to support families to eat better and be more active.”
The Government’s science thinktank Foresight predicted in a report published last year that, on current trends, by 2050 60% of males and 50% of females will be obese.
The report also claimed that by that date, 90% of adults would be overweight or obese, placing enormous strain on the NHS because of weight-related conditions like diabetes, stroke and heart disease.
In the news this week
A recent study by Dr. Michelle Holmes of Brigham Womens Hospital, Boston, USA followed 3,000 breast cancer patients, tracking their health and exercise habits for 18 years…
Fitness
Fitness
OK, lets assume you’re not very fit, perhaps a little over weight and beginning to feel life should be better than this. Well you’re on the right page.
What being fit means
Being fit means being able to do the everyday things you want to do:
- play with the children,
- dance all night,
- take part in that charity event or
- simply feel better.
Being fit also means minimising the likelihood of getting many of the common diseases associated with todays modern lifestyle of poor diet and low activity.
Make a date!
Put a regular slot in your diary, on your calemder or even on your mobile phone to remind you it’s exercise time.
A 30 minute jog before breakfast, 20 minute walk in the park at lunch time or a regular gym class are all good habits to get in to. And if life gets in the way and you miss one you already have the next one planned so it’s no problem.
Don't be a fanatic!
Regular exercise is a vital component of all these things. You don’t have be a fanatic, in fact it’s best if your not, but you will have do some work and surprisingly the more you do the better you will feel. The human body is a fantastic thing and will adapt to the stresses and strains you put on it (within reason).
