10th Jan 12
Fat Brits believe they are healthy
by Paul Russell
Piling on the pounds: Brits unaware of obesity
Piling on the pounds: Brits unaware of obesity
Britons must be provided with better information about weight problems, experts urged, as a survey discovered that four in 10 of Britain’s obese think they are healthy.
Over a quarter of people in the UK are clinically obese, but just one in seven acknowledge it, it is claimed. Meanwhile, four in 10 of those who are actually obese believed their weight was ‘healthy’, according to the poll by the Bupa Health Pulse, which stated that people from the UK are “blissfully unaware” of the risks of not taking enough exercise and eating too much.
National Obesity Forum spokesman Tam Fry insisted that schoolchildren, adults and NHS workers all require better education about what is classed as an unhealthy weight. He explained that there is plenty literature showing that individuals are unable to recognise obesity, while even some health professionals are unable to tell the difference between what is a healthy and an unhealthy weight.
He said that pupils need to be educated about obesity’s dangers, not only for themselves but also to make sure they don’t have problems later in their lives with overweight children. He said that adults found it more difficult to change their ways, but pointed out that doctors can help. He said that if they are not honest with patients about their weight then they will become fatter.
He claimed that GPs will say that patients won’t return if they are made aware that they are obese and told about the heightened risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, but insisted that there’s nothing like feeling fear to make people understand they must do something about it.
The UK’s obesity epidemic is hitting crisis point, with the NHS finding it difficult to cope with rising patient numbers with conditions resulting from their weight. Research has shown that people don’t recognise obesity in family members, particularly when they reside in areas where there are many overweight people.
The findings come after data from the NHS showed that one in three children finish primary school either obese or overweight, despite most beginning schools with a healthy weight. The study by Bupa, which surveyed 2,000 people in the UK and 1,000 from other countries, also showed that people from the UK are among the world’s most overweight.
Out of the 12 nations surveyed just three had more overweight citizens: the US and Saudi Arabia with 64 per cent classed as overweight, and Australia with 60 per cent. The survey discovered that 85 per cent of those with a BMI of 30 or above admitted they want to lose weight and way more than half (64 per cent) would like to do more exercise.
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