Is Dame Sally Davies right to target women’s obesity?
You may not agree with Dame Sally Davies’ claims that obesity poses as big a risk to the nation as terrorism. But there can be little doubt that the feisty chief medical officer has done what she set out to achieve: she’s left us in no doubt about the seriousness and immensity of the weight crisis we currently face here in the UK. Sitting in lectures at King’s College London while studying for my nutrition degree back in the 1980s, I heard the predictions of this issue being made. The truth is, we have known for decades that it was coming, yet only now are doctors, medical bodies (and, ultimately, the government) beginning to scramble around for ways to tackle it. The solution is, on the surface, simple. A good 75% of our population need to consume fewer calories and burn more off through physical activity to see pounds and stones fall. Of course, though, it’s not this simple to put into action; if it were, we wouldn’t be where we are. I’ve worked with enough people over the years to understand that for the vast majority of people affected, getting down to a ‘normal’ body mass index requires more than explaining this simple equation. We eat for many other reasons than being hungry and these need to be understood. Dame Sally may not have come up with any water-tight solutions, but focusing her attention of the many ways in which extra body fat affects our health could be a good starting point for many people. It may be especially effective in motivating those who have heard the messages about the increased risks of type 2 diabetes and heart disease repeated too many times in the same old way for it to make a difference to their habits. Protecting the next generationProbably one of the most compelling reasons for a woman to think about tackling her weight during childbearing years is that, as the chief medical officer points out, being overweight or obese can affect your chances of falling pregnant, having a healthy pregnancy and, as research suggests, affect a child’s chances of themselves becoming overweight in their future lives. At other stages of a woman life, overconsumption of food may lead to a higher risk of everything from developing breast cancer to ovarian cancer. It can trigger urinary incontinence, aggravate symptoms of the menopause and negatively affect self-esteem, mood and personal relationships. If we inwardly digest the cost of excess weight on our own and our children’s health now and in the future it may provide the most crucial part of the weight-loss equation – which is the personal, irrevocable desire to address it! Once a woman has this bit between her teeth, however often people in coffee shops try to ply you with extra muffins, however many sales people in newsagents attempt to flog a gigantic chocolate bar for £1, however big and enticing the two-for-one offers on cakes, biscuits, pizzas and pies in your supermarket, you will have the resolve to say ‘no’. Of course, addressing the formulation, labelling and marketing of food and drink, increasing our access to easy-to-do-exercise and helping people with eating disorders are all important parts of the equation. But until we can capture the understanding of women in the UK that changing their eating habits is vital not just for their own health but ultimately, that of our future generations, I think we are beating on a very heavy door. I like Dame Sally’s message that we need to empower women to take positive steps such as eating more healthily and taking more exercise. Turning thoughts away from worrying about our own hips and bums and towards realising our children could die from obesity related health problems could prove to be the motivation we need to make this happen
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| Is Dame Sally Davies right to target women’s obesity? |