Cost Of Obesity To Local Health Services Revealed, UK

“New figures out today show, for the first time, the cost of obesity to every Primary Care Trust in England. The figures set out the cost of diseases related to being overweight or obese in 2007 and how much it will cost at a local level in 2015 if we take no action. As last years Foresight report highlighted, nationally the cost of being overweight or obese cost the NHS £4.2 billion in 2007. This could rise to £6.3 billion in 2015. The figures are set out in a new 'Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives toolkit: A Toolkit for Developing Local Strategies', which is available to all Primary Care Trusts and Local Authorities to help them tackle obesity in their areas and help their citizens live healthier lives. The toolkit also gives advice on how local health professionals can support and help people in their areas to eat more healthily and be more active. It also uses research from the up coming Change4Life campaign to give insight into why families and parents find it difficult to live healthy lives. Change4Life is a new national movement which launches this autumn before a major publicity campaign starts in January. This movement will help people throughout England to live healthier, more active lives. Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said: ‘Obesity is the biggest health challenge we face - every year 9,000 people die prematurely. And many people simply just don't know that being overweight can lead to major health problems including heart disease and cancer.’ ‘We are leading the world when it comes to facing up to the problem and tackling obesity. From this autumn we are aiming to change the way we all live our lives. The Change4Life campaign will help us all to change the way we eat, the way we exercise and the way we raise our children so we can prevent obesity and related diseases.’”

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