Tuesday,
October 10, 2006
Obese Britons Outnumber Italians, Three to One !!!!
Obese Britons
Outnumber Italians, Three to One
October 10, 2006
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Figures in the The Health Profile of
With the rates of obesity
in children and adults continuing to rise the
Between 1995 and 2004 the
proportion of obese children has risen by more than 40 per cent and in the
decade up to 2004 the proportion of obese men has risen by more than 50 per
cent and by 36 per cent for women.
The findings in the report
show that the proportion of people in
Just over one quarter of
people living in
The report by the
Department of Health provides the most comprehensive picture yet of the state
of the publics health and it is hoped that the information will help areas
measure their progress in tackling health inequalities and seek help from those
performing better.
It shows that there still
remains a significant North-South health divide with those living in the North
more likely to be obese, die from a smoking-related illness and have a lower
life expectancy.
However, on a visit to a community
centre in Leyton,
Most people want to
lead healthy and fitter lives ... but they often find it very difficult to
access the facilities they need, he said.
The Government cannot
end up forcing people to lead more healthy lives. It is for us to make our own
decisions and exercise responsibility. But all the evidence now shows that even
quite small changes in diet and exercise make a major difference to the lives
that people lead.
He said it
was important for the NHS to use its resources to encourage people to become
healthier. We have to get away from the idea that health care is just
about treating people when theyre sick and encourage people to lead more
healthy lives, he said.
Some areas of the nation's
health have improved according to the report which shows that 1.2 million
people have stopped smoking since 1998 and that life expectancy has risen for
both men and women.
Peter Hollins,
chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: The North-South
health divide has been a problem for decades and it is concerning that the gap
is showing no signs of narrowing.
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The Governments new health map
paints a picture of a country struggling with some serious public health issues
in particular areas. If used properly, this local data should motivate Primary
Care Trusts and councils to work together with their communities to tackle
these problems in a co-ordinated way.
If the Government is serious about addressing the growing rates of obesity, and we believe it is, it needs to put its money where its mouth is and truly commit to a preventative approach to health.
TEN HEALTH FACTS
·
· Five year-olds in the
· Older people living in the North East, Yorkshire and
Humber, and
· Life expectancy for men in the North is two years shorter
than for men in the South.
· The proportion of men in the North East who consider
their health to be 'not good' is almost double of that of men living in the
South East.
· If the current obesity trend
continues, nearly a third of boys and girls under 11 will be obese by 2010.
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· In 2005, 17 per cent of mothers smoked throughout pregnancy.
· One in six of the general population has common mental health problems at any one time.
· The highest rates of
alcohol-related deaths between 2001 and 2003 were in the
· The average weekly consumption of
alcohol increased from 5.3 units in 1990 to 10.4 in 2000, and has remained
around that level since.
The
ANNOTICO Reports
Can
be Viewed, and are Archived at:
Italia
Italia Mia: http://www.ItaliaMia.com
Annotico
Email: annotico@earthlink.net