The Government-sponsored study Tackling Obesities: Future Choices, published last week, said that obesity in Britain had gone from being unusual to being the norm, and that by 2050 the majority of adults would be obese, costing society £45.5bn per year.
The report blamed the obesity problem on biological instincts to stock up on food, combined with modern sedentary lifestyles and poor diets. Its recommendations included a focus on early intervention to establish appropriate child growth, healthy eating and activity habits.
In response to the report, public health minister Dawn Primarolo said, 'We have made progress with improved physical activity levels at school, healthier school food, clearer food labelling and tougher restrictions on advertising junk food to children. But we know that we need to go further and faster.'
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