Why isn’t the obesity message getting through?

“It’s been gradual a gradual process. In the 1990s children were coming in because their asthma was getting worse, they had joint pains or they were tired a lot of the time, but GPs didn’t connect these problems with obesity. Then we started to make the link.
“Initially there was so little information for GPs and what we were getting from organisations was irrelevant to what we were doing in practice. That was one of the reasons why the National Obesity Forum was set up, to try to offer more structured help.”

“The message isn’t getting through at all. Denial and resentment can be part of the problem. Also, the media can present the message inconsistently – you see headlines saying ‘Look, we’ve found the fattest teenager in the world’ – or it can be sensitive and look at the psychological problems behind being overweight. It’s difficult for parents to know what to take on board.

Parents need to think carefully about every aspect of their life – the meals that they make and what they do. For instance, if it’s a boring Sunday and you don’t know what to do make sure you plan something that involves some physical activity. Go for a walk in the park with dad, or plan a bike ride. Be aware that everything you do counts. Don’t rule out junk food, just have it less frequently.

Think about the types of food that are available at home and your family’s attitude towards food and snacks. Is food used as a reward? Do your children have unregulated access to high fat/sugary snacks? Do you sit down to eat together as a family at structured mealtimes? What example do you give to your kids? The National Obesity Forum and the MEND programme (see below) can help families make positive changes to their eating habits without allowing food to become a contentious issue.”

Some schools are being sensible but unfortunately many are not. For instance, at my kids’ school the reward for doing something good is to sit out PE. Also, there are all these stupid rules now like you can’t go outside to exercise if it’s muddy. It has been shown that sport helps concentration and boosts academic activity, and being active is the natural state for a child.

Like parents, schools need to think about the balance in life. The rules are blindingly obvious – eat healthier food, get more activity. Have healthy food in the vending machine and get rid of the crisps and sugar-laden drinks.

“Part of the problem is we’re not seeing what obesity leads to yet. The epidemic has only been around for 30 years, but when people get older and start dropping like flies from heart disease and diabetes then we’ll notice it (also when the NHS goes bankrupt…).”

We have several areas of attack – we provide tool kits and guidelines for GPs, nurses and school nurses to improve the way they work. We also jump up and down and stamp our feet to get the message out. For instance, when government guidelines are announced we’ll offer comment on them and advice for parents. We also work with the MEND programme on community-based health initiatives rolled out across the UK. These are fun courses designed to help overweight children to improve their health, fitness and the way they feel about their bodies.”