Thou shalt lose weight! Obese churchgoers to be targeted by health police
SCOTS are to be offered weight-loss advice in churches, libraries and shops in a bid to cut soaring rates of diabetes.
The move is part of a £42million campaign by the Scottish Government to help people reduce their risk of developing the condition – especially the half a million Scots deemed at ‘high risk’ of doing so.
Information will be published in communities advising people how to slash their chances of getting type 2 diabetes – which can lead to heart disease and stroke.
The awareness drive will include advice such as joining weightloss groups or speaking to a GP or nurse.
Assessments could be offered in churches, health centres, leisure centres and workplaces, where information such as age, weight and blood pressure would be measured to determined a person’s risk of diabetes.
Those classed as ‘moderate or high risk’ would be advised to visit their GP for tests.
More weight-management services will be offered on the NHS and patients could be prescribed weight-loss drugs or be referred for surgery to tackle obesity.
The Scottish Government is cracking down on the nation’s obesity epidemic, including bans on junk food promotions.
Type 2 diabetes – linked to being overweight or inactive – is a common condition which causes the level of sugar in the blood to become too high.
If left untreated it can lead to heart disease, stroke, limb amputations and blindness. The condition
‘Tackle growing prevalence’
already affects more than a quarter of a million Scots and there are 17,000 new cases every year.
At least 500,000 are considered to be at ‘high risk’ of developing the disease because of factors including being overweight and having a family history of type 2 diabetes.
A number of health boards will be among the first to adopt the new scheme, including NHS Lothian, Fife, Borders, Tayside and Ayrshire and Arran.
Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: ‘It is time to tackle the growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes and the impact this has on the health of individuals.
‘With the right support and guidance, individuals can be empowered to mitigate their risk of developing type 2 diabetes and for those recently diagnosed, to improve management of their condition to delay and avoid complications.
‘This pathway will complement the wider work taking place to deliver effective, person-centred weight-management services.’
The plans have been published in the Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Framework.
A spokesman for Diabetes Scotland said: ‘It is essential that all relevant agencies work together with the Scottish Government to help change the current trajectory of type 2 diabetes in Scotland.
‘The recent rise in numbers of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes has been dramatic.
‘There has been a 25 per cent increase since 2008, with over 250,000 people now living with type 2 diabetes.
‘If trends continue unabated, this figure could rise to more than 480,000 people living with diabetes by 2035. That would have a massive impact on healthcare budgets as well as blighting the lives of individuals with this condition.’
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs said: ‘It’s particularly important to get into deprived communities and drive this message home.
‘The SNP must link this with encouraging healthier lifestyles and improving education on diet.’