A call to action on obesity:
Progress and next steps
Richard Cienciala
Deputy Director of Health and Wellbeing
Department of Health
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The UK has among the highest
rates of obesity in the developed
world.
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63% of the adult population in
England is either overweight
or obese
19% of 10-11 year-olds in
England are obese
Some evidence of a plateau, too
early to know if this is a trend –
levels of obesity remain extremely
high
Obesity prevalence for adults in England
30.0
25.0
20.0
% 15.0
10.0
all adult men
all adult women
5.0
0.0
There is a strong association of
child obesity with deprivation and
still significant differences between
ethnic groups
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A call to action on obesity
The scale of the challenge
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A call to action on obesity
A burden on individuals, the NHS and wider economy
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Compared to a healthy weight
person, obese people are
much more likely to develop
high blood pressure and Type
2 diabetes and obesity is a
serious risk during pregnancy
Children who become obese
are very likely to stay obese
through their adult lives, with
associated health problems
Direct costs to the NHS are
estimated to be £5.1bn/year
There is also a cost to the
wider economy of around £16
billion, with the potential to
rise significantly
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A call to action on obesity
Obesity – a public health priority
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The Government’s Call to action on obesity was published in October
2011
National ambitions:
– A sustained downward trend in levels of excess weight in children
by 2020
– A downward trend in the level of excess weight averaged across all
adults by 2020
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Excess weight in adults and children (4-5 and 10-11 year olds) are
indicators in the Public Health Outcomes Framework
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A call to action on obesity
A complex problem…
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A call to action on obesity
…requiring comprehensive, determinant–wide action
• A lifecourse approach, involving action across all age groups
• Population-wide measures matched by action tailored to support individuals
• Treatment given a growing focus, alongside prevention
• Providing information to underpin choice and transforming the environment to
make the healthier choice the easier choice
• Recognising that increasing physical activity is important for good health but,
for most of us who are overweight and obese, eating less is key to weight loss
• Building activity to maximise contributions across a wide range of partners
• Rebalancing local and national level action
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A call to action on obesity
Progress – one year on
• Continued key national programmes:
- Change4Life, £14m three-year strategy with a series of campaigns
- National Child Measurement Programme, to become a mandated
service for LAs from April 2013
- Roll-out of NHS Health Check – identification of overweight and
obesity in 40 -74 year olds and support for change
• Invested in data and evidence through the National Obesity Observatory
and Obesity Learning Centre
• Developing example service specifications to improve the
commissioning of adult and child tier 2 lifestyle weight management
services
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A call to action on obesity
A growing focus on calorie consumption
• Built new partnerships with those with a role to play eg business
through the Responsibility Deal
• Over 20 major companies have signed up to the calorie reduction
pledge to cut and cap calories
• Calorie labelling has expanded rapidly in out of home settings. We will
see labelling in 9,000 outlets across the country by the end of the year
• Front of pack labelling - consultation completed, key businesses
announcing willingness to move position
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A call to action on obesity
Helping people be more active
• Physical activity – CMO guidelines, National Ambition, Olympic legacy
• School Games – more than 14,000 schools registered
• Change4Life school clubs – engaging non-sporty young people
• Launched Games4Life, to encourage more than 1m people to get
more active
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A call to action on obesity
Looking forward – local leadership
• Local government will bring together the broad coalition of partners required to
prevent obesity, and to build on existing work in areas like Cornwall
• Public Health England will provide data and evidence to support local action
from April 2013
• Health and wellbeing boards will agree priorities and types of approach that
make sense locally
• The NHS will retain a central role - making every contact count, clinical
treatment
• NICE is developing new guidance to support local Government and the NHS
• Sharing knowledge and experience through events like today’s is key
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A call to action on obesity
Looking forward – national-level action
• Continuing progress through the Responsibility Deal – wider sign up,
work on promotion of food
• Intensifying work across Whitehall – public health as crossgovernment priority, eg National Planning Policy Framework
• Obesity Review Group – regular review of national progress
• Change4Life campaign will continue to provide information to support
families and individuals
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A call to action on obesity
Conclusion
Questions and comments welcome
Thank you
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