SCOTLAND comes second only to the United States as the most overweight nation in the world, according to new statistics that reveal one in four Scottish adults is classified as obese.  The study warned the "obesity epidemic" in Scotland must be urgently addressed and described the issue as a "major public-health problem".  The report by the Scottish Public Health Observatory (SPHO) said that, since 1995, obesity had increased in the adult population by 46 per cent; it was particularly bad among men aged 35-64 and women of 35-44.

 

One in five children in primary 7 was estimated to be obese in 2004-5, and the report's authors estimated the growing problem costs Scotland £171 million each year.  There is a startling gap in obesity rates between Scotland and its neighbours.  Some 25.5 per cent of adult Scots have a body mass index (BMI) rating of 30 or over, while Norway's figure is 8.3 per cent and Italy's 9 per cent. Across the water, 13 per cent of Ireland's adults are regarded as obese, and in France the rate is 9.5 per cent.

 

The main causes of obesity are listed as the sedentary lifestyle of Scots and a preference for fatty, high-calorie foods.  The findings were published as the Scottish Government unveiled plans to tackle junk food in schools.  Ian Grant, principal research officer for the SPHO programme that compiled the research, said that detailed information about how the problem would escalate was scant.  "Over the last ten years, the problem has been increasing and there is nothing to suggest from these figures that the problem will reduce in the next few years," he said. "What we have to do is look at the factors that are responsible and if some of these things don't improve, then I would imagine the problem of obesity will increase."  The report used figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and data from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey.

 

Experts warned of a looming health crisis if the problem was not tackled immediately.  A spokeswoman for the British Medical Association said it was crucial to educate children about healthy eating, make nutritious food cheaper and ensure products were clearly labelled.  She said: "This is not just a health problem. It is a problem that has to be tackled as a social issue. If we act now, we can save the next generation."  David Haslam said the findings were "shocking" but not unexpected, given that the UK tends to follow American trends. He said: "It is an eating history, it's environment, it's a lack of breast feeding; essentially, it's a bit of everything. But if you live in the environment we currently have, then it's difficult to avoid obesity."  Colin Waine  described the findings as "seriously worrying".  With one in five primary seven pupils considered obese, he warned the levels of ill health were likely to get even worse. He said: "Obesity potentially could take several decades off the life span of children and bring the first cut in life expectancy for 200 years."