Latest figures reveal that the UK has the worse obesity problem in Europe. The European Union’s own statistics agency, Eurostat, published the results of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS). The key finding was that 23.9% of all women in the UK are considered obese, i.e. they have a body mass index of over 30 points. UK men are not far behind, with 22% of all men now obese. It is only in Malta...
The NHS has announced that it is starting to struggle to cope with the rising cases of sleep problems that are associated with obesity. One of the most common sleep problems is sleep apnoea (also called obstructive sleep apnoea, OSA), which is when you stop breathing during sleep. Scottish hospitals have seen a 25% rise in the number of people with sleep problems. Of these people, 80% are overweight. CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines...
The latest health warning to hit the headlines is the growing incidence of liver disease, especially in younger people. Recent estimates suggest that around half a million children are currently at risk of developing liver disease due to weight issues. Obesity has been a known cause of diabetes and heart disease for some time and also causes a raised risk of cancer and stroke. The latest warnings concern a lesser known danger – liver...
In the news this week there were two main stories on diabetes. First up was the news that rates of diabetes have doubled since the 1980′s. The big question is, why have rates of diabetes increased so much? Is the rise mostly in Type 2 Diabetes or has Type 1 Diabetes also increased? The other big story is the news that some people have managed to “lose” diabetes with a strict diet and exercise plan....
A diet that is rich in a variety of plants, vegetables and fruits has been shown to improve health and ward of disease. There is a lot of debate over what proportion of your diet should be dedicated to plants to have the maximum health benefits. Research has shown that eating a wide range of different colors increases the diversity of nutrients consumed. Many plants help to reduce cholesterol levels and some can actually...
Walking is a great way to stay in shape. If you walk for a hour every day you will exercise your cardiovascular system and burn a few calories too. But that is not all. Recent research carried out by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that a regular walk can help ward off dementia and age related memory loss in some people. Walking...
Another sad story in the news today. The ongoing obesity problem now means that many people cannot be transported to hospital by ambulance as they are simply to big. The more overweight a person is, the more likely they are to need emergency hospital treatment at some point in their lives. The ambulances are being resigned to accommodate larger patients. Modifications to ambulances include improved lifting apparatus, reinforcing vehicles and fitting wider stretchers. Bariatric Ambulances Some ambulance services have bought...
Change4Life has just launched a food voucher scheme to help encourage families to buy healthy food and do more exercise. The scheme involves money off vouchers for healthy food, healthy eating advice and discounts on a range of activities for all the family. The funding is coming from the food and fitness industries and not the tax payer. It is the first major step in making people and business more socially responsible for health and fitness....
The government has decided to give local councils more power to allow them to tackle the obesity crisis. Under new plans local councils will be responsible for developing and promoting healthy lifestyle. Currently the NHS is responsible setting initiatives and managing programs. Now the local councils will be working directly with local people to educate people on healthy eating and exercise. Andrew Lansley: “If you want to impact positively on people’s health you have...
A recent study has highlighted that the obesity crisis is affecting businesses more than previously thought. Over the last decade the relationship between obesity and serious illness has been understood better. It is now know that obesity is a key trigger for conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. The focus in recent years has been on finding ways to help people lose weight to prevent these illnesses and to...
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