DoH calls for ‘movement to tackle obesity’

The Department of Health (DoH) has called for a national movement to tackle the increasing problem of obesity.

It argues all parts of society must recognise the problem and join together to take the necessary steps to deal with it if any strategy is to be successful.

The government claims obesity is the biggest health challenge faced by society, with the number of severely overweight people rising steadily over past 60 years.

It claims there is a genuine risk that children born today will be the first to live shorter lives on average than their parents and spend an increased number of their years living in poor health.

Health secretary Alan Johnson spoke to the Fabian Society about the importance of the issue.

Mr Johnson said: “Just as the government has a moral duty to tackle poverty and exclusion, so it also has a duty to address obesity.

“But this is not a licence to hector and lecture people on how they should spend their lives – not least because this simply won’t work.”

He added that the battle against obesity requires a broader partnership with families, employers, the media, local government, voluntary sector and leisure industry to forge a national movement to change the way we live.

Earlier this month, research from the University of Aberdeen suggested obesity can affect sperm quality.