Costs of Obesity Could Spell End of NHS

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Wednesday, 26 May 2004

The government's record on tackling obesity has been described as "woefully inadequate" by MPs, the BBC has learnt.

A report by a House of Commons cross party committee of MPs is due to be published on Thursday.

The comprehensive report warns of increased levels of diabetes, cancer and heart diseases if obesity rises.

An estimated one in four men and one in five women are obese. The number of obese children has doubled over the past 20 years. One in 10 six-year-olds and one in six 15-year-olds are now obese.

The MPs say the NHS does not appear to understand how serious the issue of obesity is - and what effect it could have on the health service. They say the financial costs of obesity are higher than previously thought, at about £3.5bn a year. Such costs would mean the end of a publicly funded health service, the report says.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk/news