UK
study says parents are best weapons in anti-obesity
fight
Obesity
Policy Report
OCTOBER 9, 2003
Parental involvement is "the key to tackling
children's obesity," the UK Health Development
Agency said in a new report issued earlier this
week.
"Parents can make a huge impact on rising
levels of childhood obesity," HDC Chair Dame
Yve Buckland said. "The good news is that
the evidence shows parents can successfully treat
their child's obesity by actively changing the
whole family's approach to diet and physical activity
and by avoiding couch potato lifestyles. The myriad
of child-focused food advertising is a real challenge,
but parents can fight back — it's them paying
at the checkout, not their children."
The report, which analyzed different approaches
to managing obesity in both children and adults,
also found that schools play an important role
in prevention, especially for girls. "By
using a combination of methods, typically including
nutrition education, modifying school meals…teacher
training and promoting physical activity, a reduction
in obesity was observed," HDC said. "This
whole school approach, where what is taught in
the classroom on obesity is reflected elsewhere
in the school environment, is most successful."
Prof. Mike Kelly, HDC's Director of Research and
Information, said UK citizens are currently living
in an "obesogenic" environment, characterized
by "a plethora of fast food outlets, a reliance
on cars, and offers enticing us to eat larger
portion sizes…Obesity is a health inequality
issue — studies have shown that it is children
from poorer backgrounds that are more likely to
suffer weight problems. Also there is a higher
prevalence in some ethnic groups and in different
regions across the country. This shows that a
combined approach is needed to tackle obesity."
The report can be found online at: www.had-online.org.uk/downloads/pdfs/obesity_evidence_briefing.pdf.
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