UK is fatter than ever: Britain has made ‘no progress’ on tackling obesity in the last 18 years, global report warns
- Nearly 70 per cent of men are overweight, plus more than 58 per cent of women
- Boys between the age of five and 19 are now fatter than girls the same age
- The most comprehensive report on global nutrition claims the UK is worsening
- People eat too much fatty food and meat, and not enough nuts and seeds
The UK has failed to make any progress in the fight against obesity over the past 18 years, a global report has warned.
Obesity has been constantly rising since the year 2000 and the number of dangerously overweight children of school-leaving age is at an all-time high.
A worrying 68.6 per cent of grown men were obese in the UK in 2016, as well as 58.9 per cent of women.
The report laying out how well countries have performed while working towards global nutrition targets has said the UK is making ‘no progress or worsening’.
And it warns more than a quarter of all adults in the UK are obese, as well as one in 10 children between the ages of five and 19.
People in the country eat too much meat and fatty food and not enough legumes, seeds or nuts, the report warned.
The UK is failing to make meaningful progress on cutting down the proportion of adults who are obese, according to the Global Nutrition Report 2018 (stock image)
Despite attempts to address the country’s weight problem, levels of severe obesity in children aged 10 to 11 years have reached their highest point.
Figures in May revealed 111,000 children a year leave primary school already obese, with 22,000 of them severely obese.
More than a third of 10 to 11-year-olds are overweight to some degree.
And since 2004, today’s 2018 Global Nutrition Report revealed, boys aged five to 19 have become fatter than girls in the same age group.
The report showed obesity in boys rose from eight per cent to 10.9 per cent between 2000 and 2016.
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For girls the rise was smaller and had actually begun to dip a bit – it was at 9.4 per cent in 2016, up from 8.4 per cent in 2000.
Among adults, obesity in the UK rose from 27.2 per cent in 2015 to 27.8 per cent in 2016.
In the US, the picture is considerably worse.
There, 21.4 per cent of five to 19-year-olds are obese, as well as 36.2 per cent of adults.
More boys are obese than girls – by 23.3 per cent to 19.5 – but women are more obese than men – with 37 per cent of women dangerously overweight and 35.5 per cent of men.
The report, described as the world’s most comprehensive on nutrition, is in its fifth year, with this the first to also look at diets.
It warns the UK is not consuming enough legumes, whole grain, nuts and seeds, but too much processed meat and sugar-sweetened beverages.
The report also warns anaemia among women of reproductive age has increased from 14 per cent in 20165 to 15.3 per cent in 2016.
Globally, a third (32.8 per cent) of reproductive-age women are anaemic, a condition caused by lack of iron, often because of blood loss or pregnancy.
As well as highlighting the impact of malnutrition on health, the report also looks at how it is affecting the social and economic development of countries.
It estimates that malnutrition could cost society up to $3.5trillion (£2.7billion) a year, with the cost of people being overweight and obese alone amounting to $500billion (£391billion).
Corinna Hawkes, co-chairwoman of the report and director of the Centre for Food Policy, said: ‘The figures call for immediate action.
‘Malnutrition is responsible for more ill-health than any other cause.
‘The health consequences of overweight and obesity contribute to an estimated four million deaths globally.
‘The uncomfortable question is not so much “why are things so bad?” but “why are things not better when we know so much more than before?”
The report said significant steps are being made to address some aspects of malnutrition, with stunting among children under five years falling from 32.6 per cent in 2000 to 22.2 per cent globally in 2017.
HOW IS THE GOVERNMENT TRYING TO TACKLE OBESITY?
October’s proposed plans to restrict the number of calories in pizzas, pies and ready meals came as part of drastic Government moves over the past year to try and cut down on obesity.
A tax on added sugar in drinks came into force in April, requiring companies to hand over more of the money they make from drinks which contain more than 5g of sugar per 100ml of liquid.
As a result, many soft drinks have had their recipes changed in order to avoid paying the tax and putting prices up. Sugary drinks are the biggest single source of sugar for children and teenagers.
The Government is also considering making it compulsory for all restaurants and fast food outlets to display the number of calories in each meal on their menu.
Some food outlets already do this but there can be unexpected numbers of calories in popular dishes, and the Government is consulting on the plans before a decision is due in spring.
In March this year, Public Health England warned Brits to crack down on the number of calories they’re eating, advising people to consume no more than 1,600 per day.
The watchdog says adults shouldn’t eat any more than 400 calories for breakfast, 600 for lunch and 600 for dinner – this would allow for some snacks, experts said.
Examples of 600-calorie meals include a tuna pasta salad and a small cereal bar, a chicken salad sandwich and a pack of crisps, or half a pepperoni pizza with a quarter of a garlic baguette and a banana.
In the same announcement PHE said shops selling the food should cut down their portion sizes to help people slim their waistlines.
Plans are also being considered to ban advertising junk food on television before 9pm, to reduce the number of children who are exposed to it.
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