We recognise that Primary Care is ideally placed to lead the way in address the health challenges posed by the obesity epidemic. Many creative approaches to tackling obesity among our paients have been spearheaded by healthcare proffesionasl in general practices. 

 

We are pleased to announce that the National Obesity Forum is once again sponsoring the Primary Care Awards.

The NOF’s online survey of members’ views of the government’s new obesity strategy has been postponed. Watch this space for an update.

If you are a health care professional and have always wanted to do research but simply haven’t got the time – then the Research Award may be just what you are looking for.

The National Obesity Forum in partnership with Weight Watchers offers a small grant to help support research in obesity management.  This Grant is a new initiative and allows practitioners a little ‘protected’ time to get their teeth into some research.  The Award is worth £8,000, and whoever wins the Award also gets the support of a research mentor. 

The 2008 National Obesity Forum Conference will be held on the 6th and 7th October 2008 at the Royal College of Physicians in London (download location map).

 

Draft details of the programme and speakers together with a booking form available now for download.

 

Figures released yesterday by the National Child Measurement programme are deeply disturbing.  The fact that 22.9% of children in year one in primary school are overweight or obese surely indicates that measuring the BMI of children should begin much earlier.

The NOF view is that measuring BMI should begin at the age of one year and be repeated at yearly intervals throughout childhood, using appropriate charts based on breastfed children.  In this way deviations from the norm could be detected early and appropriate actions taken.

It has clearly been established that an early adiposity rebound is a significant risk factor for the subsequent development of childhood obesity.

We must not forget that left ventricular dysfunction has been detected in morbidly obese six year old children and that by early adolescents obese children display such features of the metabolic syndrome with hypertension, dyslipidaemia and endothelial dysfunction all of which point to the premature onset of cardio metabolic disease.

To only begin measuring the BMI of children at school entry is an insult to child health and wellbeing.

Dr Colin Waine  

 

THE National Obesity Forum (NOF) warmly welcomes the publication of today’s cross-departmental obesity strategy. It is a comprehensive approach that for the first time sets out an overarching framework for action across a broad front, and so has potential to help to combat the multiple and complex factors that have contributed to current obesity and overweight levels, particularly amongst children and young people.  We believe that this strategy, supported by investment and backed by a serious commitment to monitor and evaluate progress, is the right way forward, though the NOF is disappointed that legislation to protect children against advertising of nutritionally-dense food has not been strengthened and the issue of food labelling has not been resolved. 

For the latest news from the NOF click here to visit our Obesity News section.