Boris blueprint to win Britain’s war on obesity
BORIS Johnson has revealed his own battle with the bulge as he unveils a blueprint to get Britain fit.
Writing in the Daily Express, the Prime Minister admits he struggles with his weight – and has been wanting to slim down for a long time.
But his brush with death earlier this year, when he contracted Covid19, was the “wake-up call” that spurred him into action.
He said he now starts the day by going for a run with his rescue dog, Dilyn. The PM, 56, urged people to make similar, small changes that add up and are easy to stick to.
Launching the Government’s antiobesity strategy, he said: “The facts are simple – extra weight puts extra pressure on our organs and makes it harder to treat heart disease, cancer and, as we have found, coronavirus.
“This was true in my case and it’s true in many thousands of others.
“It was a wake-up call for me and I want it to be a wake-up call for the whole country.”
The package of reforms published today includes a ban on advertising junk food during prime-time TV, an end to “buy-one-get-one-free” on unhealthy products, calorie counts on menus in chain restaurants and takeaways, and calorie labelling on alcohol. NHS weight-loss services will be expanded too, while GPs will be encouraged to prescribe bike rides – with patients in pilot areas to be given access to bicycles.
Ambitious
Nearly two-thirds of adults in England and a third of children leaving primary school are overweight, with obesity-related illnesses costing the NHS £6billion a year.
Research by Public Health England shows being medically obese increases the risk of death from coronavirus by 40 per cent. Its chief nutritionist Dr Alison Tedstone said: “These plans are ambitious and rightly so. Tackling obesity will help prevent serious illness and save lives.
“The main reason we put on weight is because of what we eat and drink, but being more active is important too. Making healthier choices easier and fairer for everyone, and ensuring the right support is there for those who need it, is critical.”
Studies show many adults are consuming up to 300 extra calories a day above guidelines.
Olympic cycling gold medallist Chris Boardman, who is the cycling and walking commissioner for Greater Manchester, praised the initiative to get Britons on their bikes, calling it “a no-brainer”. He added: “The Government gets a massive yes from me. I’m not sure why this hasn’t been done sooner. It’s become a case of ‘why not?’ ”
But the TaxPayers’ Alliance campaign group accused the Government of “lazy lawmaking and supermarket snobbery at its very worst”.
Chief executive John O’Connell added: “This new strategy leaves slim pickings for struggling families who rely on affordable meals.
“Outright ad bans on ordinary foods and ending ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ will be a hammer-blow to hard-pressed shoppers, who don’t need Boris piling on the pounds to their weekly food bill. Misguided ministers must stop this nannying nonsense and think of better ways to help taxpayers keep healthy.”
UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls criticised the timing of extra regulations for restaurants and pubs, saying: “The cost burdens of measures like menu labelling could not come at a worse time as we focus on securing jobs and helping the economy and communities to recover.”
Caroline Cerny from the Obesity Health Alliance, a coalition of more than 40 health organisations, said: “We are delighted the Government has recognised the role that the relentless marketing and promotion of unhealthy food plays in driving ill-health. Restricting the advertising of unhealthy products before 9pm is a landmark move and shows real commitment from the Government.”
While Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “Being overweight or obese puts people at risk of many diseases, including 13 different types of cancer, and disproportionately affects people from poorer backgrounds, so the plan will hugely help to level-up the country and build a healthier population.”