Children ‘could lose 20 years of healthy life’ as obesity crisis takes toll
‘Damning and shaming’
CHILDREN are losing up to 20 years of healthy life because of the failure to tackle youth obesity, medical leaders warn.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has criticised a ‘ piecemeal’ approach from ministers to preventing long-term illness.
This includes a failure to impose a ban on junk food adverts or prohibit take-away outlets opening up near schools.
The RCPCH – which represents 17,500 doctors, nurses and other health experts – says many children are growing into obese adults and developing diabetes.
A third of children are overweight or obese at 11, and the rates are creeping up despite Government promises to reduce them. Among adults, 62 per cent are classed as overweight or obese. Just over half of pregnant women are overweight.
A report by the RCPCH today states that although the Government has taken some steps – including introducing a tax on sugary drinks – the health of youngsters has remained ‘largely unchanged’.
Professor Neena Modi, the College’s president, said: ‘As a nation we’re not winning this battle.
‘An obese child is very likely to remain an obese adult. An obese adult is at risk of losing between ten and 20 years of healthy life, as well as the fact that life expectancy will be reduced as well.
‘We want to see children empowered to take responsibility for their own lives. They also need help with legislation and regulation, they shouldn’t be bombarded with advertisements for junk food.
‘We want girls and young men to be planning parenthood with a healthy weight and healthy lifestyle.’ Professor Modi said obese parents are far more likely to have obese children who are born into lifestyle habits that are difficult to change.
‘Fifty per cent of pregnant women are overweight or obese, which has a severe impact on the health and weight of the developing foetus,’ she explained. ‘That is a damning and shaming indictment of the health of our nation – it’s an absolutely terribly destructive cycle.’
The report draws on analysis by the King’s Fund think-tank that says councils will spend only £2.52billion on public health services in 2017/18 compared with £2.6billion the previous year.
Professor Modi added: ‘We need the kind of hard-hitting campaigns we used to have for HIV and for smoking, as well as firm action to curb the power of industry.
‘Instead, what we are seeing is cuts to public health budgets.’
Professor Russell Viner, RCPCH officer for health promotion, said: ‘Child health isn’t being given the political attention it deserves in Westminster ... while policies such as the soft drinks industry levy and new tobacco control plan are to be applauded, the approach is piecemeal.’
Caroline Cerny, of the Obesity Health Alliance, said: ‘The number of children with an unhealthy weight is at an all-time high and rising, but there is a huge gap in the Government’s approach to tackling childhood obesity.’
Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth, added: ‘This report is a stark reminder that there are over two million children with health-related vulnerabilities being let down by an underfunded and overstretched health system.’