Battle to reduce obesity epidemic among children

CHILDREN as young as two are being targeted by Scotland’s health chiefs in a bid to tackle the country’s soaring obesity epidemic. New figures show the Scottish Government has staged more than 10,000 obesity ‘interventions’ amid worrying levels of unhealthy diet and lifestyles in children.

Around 30 per cent of children in Scotland are classed as either overweight or obese.

Now family doctors, nurses and health visitors are carrying out a countrywide campaign to try to improve youngsters’ health.

The Scottish Government has introduced a target for the country’s health boards which sets out to deliver ‘a prescribed number of child healthy weight interventions from children aged between two and 15’.

The target is to complete 14,910 interventions – which include advice on diet and exercise – by March 2014. To date, 10,183 of these have been carried out.

The programme includes one-to-one clinical assessments, family group interventions and school-based interventions. The school-based sessions are often delivered to whole classes and even the whole school.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘ Obesity is one of the greatest challenges facing Scotland.

‘Our anti-obesity action plan aims to make it easier for families to make healthy choices and we are investing £2.4million to increase the amount of PE in schools.’

The Child Healthy Weight programme ‘ directs support to families whose children are struggling with their weight and want to take action to tackle it’, he added.

The spokesman continued: ‘ We expect health boards to meet their targets and we will continue to moni- tor the three-year programme developed by health boards.

‘Regular physical activity plays an important part in preventing obesity and our Take Life On campaign was highly effective at raising awareness – as a result, 59 per cent of parents surveyed did more physical activity with their child.’

Children to be included in the Scottish Government figures are identified through self-referral, school nurses, GPs and health boards.

A Scottish Government spokesman said the interventions take place ‘over a number of weeks, rather than a single conversation’. However, there is concern that the move does not go far enough.

Scottish Tory health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said: ‘This illustrates exactly how much of a problem obesity is in Scotland, across all ages.

‘Perhaps the Scottish Government should spend less time on ludicrous pursuits like plain cigarette packaging and more time on this crucial matter.

‘But it’s also important to remember that there’s only so much the NHS and Scottish Government can do.

‘Parents need to take responsibility, and make sure they are doing the best

‘Parents need to take responsibility’

by their child by not allowing them to slip into habits which will lead to a lifetime of obesity.’

The Scottish Government also admitted that follow-ups on family groups and individual interventions are ‘a clinical decision’. A spokesman said some may undertake the intervention again.

The target to achieve 14,910 interventions was introduced in April 2011. It has been extended to include preschool-age children.

Guidance from the Scottish Government requires that at least 40 per cent of the interventions should be delivered to children and families from the most deprived areas.

Scotland has the third highest level of obesity in the world.

Recently, the Scottish Government introduced a consultation on ways to improve the nation’s diet, with retailers, caterers and manufacturers encouraged to devise healthier choices for consumers. One recommendation suggests asking retailers to remove confectionery from till areas.

The Government also plans to publish a guide for caterers on healthy options for children’s menus and ministers want servers ‘to no longer ask customers if they wish to buy a larger option’.