Obesity rates 2050
Statistics suggest that in 2050 50% of the population will be obese.
It is claimed that by 2050 half the population of the United Kingdom will be obese. This is a frightening statistic for Government, health professionals and individuals. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has stated that Obesity can contribute to a range of problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and some cancers. 1
Obesity is caused by primarily eating too much and doing little or no physical activity. Obesity develops over time, we don’t wake up one morning suddenly obese, it happens slowly and once established has a detrimental effect on our health. The definition of obesity is a term used to describe someone who is very overweight with a high degree of body fat. 2
There are a number of factors as to why we become obese; lifestyle choices are one of them. Lack of exercise is another key factor. We live in a world where we are surrounded by convenience foods and takeaways are on every street corner, we are constantly tempted by leaflets and advertising. We are a very busy nation and the thought of having an ‘easy, quick, no fuss meal’ appeals to us. There is also the issue of lack of exercise. Do we have time? According to the Foresight Project Report (2007) the current prevalence of obesity in the United Kingdom population is mainly caused by people’s suppressed natural vulnerability mixed with a changing environment that includes more inactive lifestyles and increased dietary abundance. 3
Of course this does not mean the whole of the United Kingdom are overweight or obese, or that the whole of the United Kingdom does little or no exercise but statistics show it is increasing and by 2050 60% of men and 50% of women could be clinically obese. Without action, obesity-related diseases will cost an extra £45.5 billion per year. 3
Although it is very difficult to predict the future and to say that by 2050 over 50% of the
nation will be obese seems somewhat presumptuous, however statistics have shown that following current trends this is what is predicted. According to The Foresight Report “ rates of obesity have more than doubled in the last 25 years” 3
According to the NHS,2 Calorie intake combined with our lifestyle choices and our lack of physical activity are mainly responsible of our increasingly larger obesity rates. Calories are the energy value in our food. They are measured in units called calories. Certain foods are high in calories. The recommended calorie intake is 2,500 for men and 1,500 for women. Although this seems a large amount, surprisingly they add up fairly quickly. 30g of cornflakes (a normal size breakfast bowl) contains 372 calories, add a jacket potato with cheese for lunch, that contains an incredible 723 calories and finish off with a take away pizza (standard size) containing 868 calories you can see how quickly calories add up, that coupled with our lack of physical exercise it is not surprising obesity rates are on the rise. When we are inactive or do little or no physical exercise the calories we consume turn into fat cells because our bodies are not burning off excess energy. Our alcohol intake is also a factor. Alcohol contains a lot of calories and heavy drinkers are generally overweight. 4 Portion size is also a factor, we are eating larger portions and we are also prone to comfort eating. If we feel depressed or have low self-esteem we comfort eat to make us feel better 4.
Lack of physical activity is also a major factor in increasing obesity rates. Many people have office jobs, these jobs involve sitting at a desk all day. We are more reliant on our cars these days and our leisure time is spent relaxing, watching Television or surfing the internet rarely participating in regular physical activities. The more we eat the more we need to exercise. It is all about balancing our diets and lifestyles with physical exercise.
Predicting that by 2050 50% of people will be obese is a worrying statistic but a necessary one. The implications this will have on our own health and the whole infrastructure of the NHS needs to be taken in to account so steps can be put in place to accommodate this. The Government launched a campaign called “Change4Life”5 .It was launched in January 2009 and it is aimed at educating and encouraging us as a nation to lead a healthier lifestyle. It is a massive campaign involving a range of media with all sorts of tips and tricks on how we can reduce obesity with simple steps such as cutting down on things such as fat and salt in our diet. It talks about how important having a healthy balanced diet is, recipe ideas, shopping tips, exercise ideas and a whole other host of activities to get involved with it get us all more active.
Although it seems like we are a doomed nation with the estimated depressing statistics, with the Government initiative and policy’s on “Reducing obesity and improving diet “(2011) 6 things are looking hopeful. The Government has set out targets and aims to see “a sustained downward trend in the level of excess weight in children by 2020, and a downward trend in the level of excess weight averaged across all adults by 2020”.
In summary, whilst the figures make depressing reading we can be assured that the government is doing their upmost in educating us and leading the way for a hopefully healthier and lighter future.
1 Great Britain. National Institute for Health and Clinical excellence December 2006(amended July 2008) Preventing obesity and staying a healthy weight: NICE clinical guidelines 43 [online] http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/11000/30367/30367:pdf (Accessed: 16 September 2013)
2 NHS choices. ‘Obesity’ 5 March 2013 [online]. Available at : http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Obesity/Pages/Introdution.aspx (Accessed 16 September 2013)
3 (2007) Foresight Report; Tackling Obesities: Future Choices Project. Available at : http://www.foresight.gov.uk/ 4 NHS choices; ‘ Obesity- Causes’ 5 March 2013 [online]. Available at : http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Obesity/Pages/Causes.aspx (Accessed 17 September 2013)
5 Department of Health NHS Change4Life. [Leaflet obtained Bingley Library], 16 September 2013
6 Great Britain. Department of Health(2011) Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A call to action obesity in England 13 October 2011 [Online]. Available at : http://www.gov.uk/goverment/upload/system/upload/attachment_data/file/213720
It is claimed that by 2050 half the population of the United Kingdom will be obese. This is a frightening statistic for Government, health professionals and individuals. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has stated that Obesity can contribute to a range of problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and some cancers. 1
Obesity is caused by primarily eating too much and doing little or no physical activity. Obesity develops over time, we don’t wake up one morning suddenly obese, it happens slowly and once established has a detrimental effect on our health. The definition of obesity is a term used to describe someone who is very overweight with a high degree of body fat. 2
There are a number of factors as to why we become obese; lifestyle choices are one of them. Lack of exercise is another key factor. We live in a world where we are surrounded by convenience foods and takeaways are on every street corner, we are constantly tempted by leaflets and advertising. We are a very busy nation and the thought of having an ‘easy, quick, no fuss meal’ appeals to us. There is also the issue of lack of exercise. Do we have time? According to the Foresight Project Report (2007) the current prevalence of obesity in the United Kingdom population is mainly caused by people’s suppressed natural vulnerability mixed with a changing environment that includes more inactive lifestyles and increased dietary abundance. 3
Of course this does not mean the whole of the United Kingdom are overweight or obese, or that the whole of the United Kingdom does little or no exercise but statistics show it is increasing and by 2050 60% of men and 50% of women could be clinically obese. Without action, obesity-related diseases will cost an extra £45.5 billion per year. 3
Although it is very difficult to predict the future and to say that by 2050 over 50% of the
nation will be obese seems somewhat presumptuous, however statistics have shown that following current trends this is what is predicted. According to The Foresight Report “ rates of obesity have more than doubled in the last 25 years” 3
According to the NHS,2 Calorie intake combined with our lifestyle choices and our lack of physical activity are mainly responsible of our increasingly larger obesity rates. Calories are the energy value in our food. They are measured in units called calories. Certain foods are high in calories. The recommended calorie intake is 2,500 for men and 1,500 for women. Although this seems a large amount, surprisingly they add up fairly quickly. 30g of cornflakes (a normal size breakfast bowl) contains 372 calories, add a jacket potato with cheese for lunch, that contains an incredible 723 calories and finish off with a take away pizza (standard size) containing 868 calories you can see how quickly calories add up, that coupled with our lack of physical exercise it is not surprising obesity rates are on the rise. When we are inactive or do little or no physical exercise the calories we consume turn into fat cells because our bodies are not burning off excess energy. Our alcohol intake is also a factor. Alcohol contains a lot of calories and heavy drinkers are generally overweight. 4 Portion size is also a factor, we are eating larger portions and we are also prone to comfort eating. If we feel depressed or have low self-esteem we comfort eat to make us feel better 4.
Lack of physical activity is also a major factor in increasing obesity rates. Many people have office jobs, these jobs involve sitting at a desk all day. We are more reliant on our cars these days and our leisure time is spent relaxing, watching Television or surfing the internet rarely participating in regular physical activities. The more we eat the more we need to exercise. It is all about balancing our diets and lifestyles with physical exercise.
Predicting that by 2050 50% of people will be obese is a worrying statistic but a necessary one. The implications this will have on our own health and the whole infrastructure of the NHS needs to be taken in to account so steps can be put in place to accommodate this. The Government launched a campaign called “Change4Life”5 .It was launched in January 2009 and it is aimed at educating and encouraging us as a nation to lead a healthier lifestyle. It is a massive campaign involving a range of media with all sorts of tips and tricks on how we can reduce obesity with simple steps such as cutting down on things such as fat and salt in our diet. It talks about how important having a healthy balanced diet is, recipe ideas, shopping tips, exercise ideas and a whole other host of activities to get involved with it get us all more active.
Although it seems like we are a doomed nation with the estimated depressing statistics, with the Government initiative and policy’s on “Reducing obesity and improving diet “(2011) 6 things are looking hopeful. The Government has set out targets and aims to see “a sustained downward trend in the level of excess weight in children by 2020, and a downward trend in the level of excess weight averaged across all adults by 2020”.
In summary, whilst the figures make depressing reading we can be assured that the government is doing their upmost in educating us and leading the way for a hopefully healthier and lighter future.
1 Great Britain. National Institute for Health and Clinical excellence December 2006(amended July 2008) Preventing obesity and staying a healthy weight: NICE clinical guidelines 43 [online] http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/11000/30367/30367:pdf (Accessed: 16 September 2013)
2 NHS choices. ‘Obesity’ 5 March 2013 [online]. Available at : http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Obesity/Pages/Introdution.aspx (Accessed 16 September 2013)
3 (2007) Foresight Report; Tackling Obesities: Future Choices Project. Available at : http://www.foresight.gov.uk/ 4 NHS choices; ‘ Obesity- Causes’ 5 March 2013 [online]. Available at : http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Obesity/Pages/Causes.aspx (Accessed 17 September 2013)
5 Department of Health NHS Change4Life. [Leaflet obtained Bingley Library], 16 September 2013
6 Great Britain. Department of Health(2011) Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A call to action obesity in England 13 October 2011 [Online]. Available at : http://www.gov.uk/goverment/upload/system/upload/attachment_data/file/213720