A lack of physical exercise, rather than unhealthy eating habits, may be the primary cause of increa...
A lack of physical exercise, rather than unhealthy eating habits, may be the primary cause of increased rates of childhood obesity, claims a new medical report from UnumProvident called Facing up to health: taking responsibility for health in the 21st century.
Childhood obesity rates in the UK are now four times higher than 30 years ago and it is estimated that the total cost of obesity, including NHS treatment, amounts to £2.5bn each year. It is estimated that obesity costs industry 18 million days in absence and 30,000 premature deaths in 1998 alone, the study said.
Professor Michael O'Donnell, chief medical officer at UnumProvident, said: "There is a greater propensity for obese children to become obese adults with most of the risk factors for heart and circulatory diseases. Epidemiological studies show only a weak relationship between fat and weight in young children and adults; therefore the problem seems to be more about reduced energy expenditure rather than increased energy intake."
It is thought that today's children expend about 600 kcal a day less than children 50 years ago. Increased television watching and computer gaming have led to a more sedentary lifestyle.
Commenting on the findings, Dr David Ashton, group medical director for BMI Healthcare, said: "Given that dietary strategies have failed to slow the rising tide of obesity in children, a more fruitful approach would be to identify ways to increase children's activities in daily life, such as safe walkways and cycle tracks."
