Weighty problem of obesity

Marie Louise Connolly
BBC Northern Ireland health correspondent

Obesity levels are in danger of reaching unmanageable levels

Obesity levels could spiral to unmanageable levels in Northern Ireland, unless a robust strategy is urgently implemented.

That's the message from the Northern Ireland Assembly's Health Committee which has released its report following an inquiry into obesity.

One of the recommendations is to make PE in schools compulsory.

It's uncomfortable reading, but no matter how you try to digest this report, basically, as a society, we are all getting fatter and becoming less healthy.

While this information may come as no surprise, perhaps what is most shocking, is the inquiry's concern that our current health service may struggle to tackle the problem.

Between February and June this year, the health committee took formal evidence from 17 separate organisations.

Both written and oral evidence was given by groups including health professionals, academics and sporting bodies including organisations from outside Northern Ireland.

In particular the committee looked at the current approach to preventing obesity, the availability of weight management or other intervention services and perhaps most importantly what further action is required.

Health Committee chairman Jim Wells said: "We need a massive programme of government action to change the way society is eating itself into an early grave. If we don't change we'll see a massive increase in type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. If we don't act now this will overwhelm the health service by 2050. "

Now it's up to the Northern Ireland Executive not to let the public down and implement a strategy as soon as possible

Through the most recent research, we know that 59% of all adults in Northern Ireland are either overweight or obese, with 22% of children falling into the same category.

If we continue to eat and exercise at the current levels, academics predict that obesity threatens to engulf the entire health service and it will have a very serious impact on society and the economy.

So how can this weighty problem be prevented from getting any worse?

Well, the Department of Health has begun to develop a whole-life course approach, called the new life course strategy.

This is replacing the Fit Futures initiative which focussed on tackling obesity in children and young people.

Instead, the department wants a plan that will incorporate a person's health from the cradle to the grave.

While the health committee welcomes this approach, it says it is concerned that the Fit Futures initiative hasn't been formally signed off and implemented.

For this new strategy to be fully implemented, the report recommends that it is jointly led by the health and education departments, as happened in England.

But it stresses that there must be strong effective leadership and in a rare move, suggests that funding be ring-fenced for at least the first phase of implementation to ensure it is not postponed due to other emerging problems.

Mr Wells said: "In order for this to work, money must be ring-fenced for at least the first three to five years. Money cannot be parachuted to some other acute service or priority in a few years time. This money must be guaranteed and put to use as quickly as possible."

The health committee is calling on the Department of Education to make PE in schools compulsory and subject to regular monitoring.

"This is vital to target youngsters as early as possible and make it compulsory so regular exercise is built into their lives," Mr Wells said.

The committee is also recommending that the Department of Health develops a range of referral options for local GPs to tap into.

And it wants Health Minister Michael McGimpsey to look at what weight management services are currently available for adults and children, for example, obesity clinics and the provision of weight loss surgery, such as gastric bands, to be made available in hospitals in Northern Ireland.

In a shocking revelation, it is estimated that around 50,000 people in Northern Ireland may be eligible for such surgery.

Last year, around 80 people were referred for such surgery in England.

It's estimated that the cost of treating just 1,000 patients could be around £10m to £15m.

And of course we can't blame our muffin-top waistbands all on the health service.

After all, no one forces us to consume what we do or to fail to get up off the sofa and indulge ourselves in regular exercise.

At the end of the day it is up to the man, woman and child to want to shift those pounds and become healthier.

So the health committee has done its bit.

Now it's up to the Northern Ireland Executive not to let the public down and implement a strategy ASAP.

Last and by no means least, it's down to a majority of the public - that's you and me - to stop moaning about how those inches managed to find their way to our hips and grab those gutties and do something about it.