How the Government is planning to tackle obesity in England
The UK government has recently unveiled its latest plans to try and tackle obesity in the country.
Obesity is when someone carries excessive body fat or weight. This normally occurs when you consume too many calories on a regular basis, when you are not sleeping enough, when your medication causes you to gain excessive weight and finally, if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. A sedentary lifestyle is when you complete little to no physical activity.
Obesity can have detrimental effects on your physical health. It can increase risk for medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, this can have life threatening consequences such as heart failure and heart attacks due to the extra strain on the heart from carrying the extra weight.
To decrease your risk factor you can adopt healthy eating and an active lifestyle. Unfortunately for some people, obesity can be caused simply by genes, however leading a healthy lifestyle will decrease the risk.
The Government has decided to ban TV and online adverts promoting food that is high in fat, sugar or salt before 9 at night. Secondly, they have imposed a ban on buy one get one free deals on unhealthy foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar. In addition, restaurants now have to display calories on their menus to allow people to make healthier choices when eating out.
They could also be made to display calories on alcoholic beverages that contain “hidden liquid calories.”
The Government said that they are taking this action after a “COVID-19 wake up call” the measures are being installed to allow people to protect themselves against the virus whilst remaining fit and healthy.
They are also planning to unveil a new weight management service from the National Health Service, this will also include more self care applications and online tools to aid people with obesity.
Do you think these measures will aid us on the road to combating obesity? Let us know by tweeting us at @HealthcareDig