The two-day conference addressed the prevention of obesity and the structured management of overweight and obese individuals in primary care and the impact this has on society. The interventions examined obesity in relation to its co-morbidities, such as type II diabetes and cancer. They also looked at the psychology of obesity and its links to depression. Brief interventions and the role of excercise were discussed within the framework of prevention of obesity, and speakers also touched on the role of over the counter options, surgical interventions, financial incentives for weight loss and low-calorie diets to tackle people already suffering from obesity.
Obesity and Diabetes
In Western countries, almost 90% of type II diabetes has developed because of weight gain and around two thirds of patients suffering from type II diabetes have a body mass index of at least 27 kg/m2.
Professor Stephen Gough explained that the majority of treatments used in the management of type II diabetes are themselves associated with weight gain which can be a barrier not only to intensification of therapy but also a reduction of diabetes-related complications such as heart disease. He presented a range of new therapies that are preventing further weight gain and help to reduce the risk of heart disease or liver cirrohsis. According to Professort Gough, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease can ultimately lead to liver cirrohsis, and type II diabetes has now overtaken alcohol as leading cause of liver cirrohsis.
Obesity and Cancer
There is convincing evidence to indicate that being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing cancer. After smoking, exces body weight is one of the most important lifestyle risk factors for cancer. In the UK it is estimated that each year more than 13,000 cases of cancer could be avoided if the body mass index did not exceed 25. This represents around 4% of all cancer cases. According to Sarah Woolnough, Head of Policy at Cancer Research UK, the awareness of the link between obesity and cancer is low outside the health and scientific community.
In her presentation, she stressed the importance of adopting a healthy weight early on in the life cycle, as obesity in childhood increases the cancer risk when in adulthood. She also observed that as levels of smoking drop as a result of increased regulation and tobacco control, the relative importance of obesity as a risk factor for cancer will rise.
Obesity and Depression
It is important to underline the fact that individuals suffering from obesity are not only medically compromised, they are socially and psychologically disadvantaged. Low self-esteem, binge eating, and affective disorder are over-represented in obese patients. A US-based study recently found that wome who were obese were 17-31% more likely to be currently depressed and 17-53% more likely to have diagnosed depression. The risk of depression increased with the level of obesity. A bi-directional relationship has been established between obesity and depression as another study found that depression among adolescent girls more than doubled the risk of later obesity.
Professor Andrew Hill emphasised that depression can also act as a barrier to the treatment of obesity as there is a high risk of weight regain. The social factors associated with obesity and depression include social isolation and withdrawal, complicated sexual relationships, and victimisation.
Calorie Information on Menus
Information to consumers has been identified as one of the key tools to support the public in making health choices in an effort to reduce rising levels of obesity and diet-related diseases.
With data now showing that men consume a quarter of their food energy outside the home and women a fifth, it is clear that the choices made when eating out are important in helping consumers maintain a healthy weight.
Gill Fine, Director of Consumer Choice and Dietary Health at the Food Standards Agency (FSA), introduced the work undertaken by the Agency with 21 catering businesses that have voluntary introduced calorie labelling at point of choice, i.e. on menus andmenu boards. The process involved the establishment of a stakeholder group.
The FSA identifies three key areas of activity needed to tackle the obesity epidemic :
Influencing products (reducing portion sizes and encouraging reformulation)
Influencing people (campaigns, provision of information, labelling)
Influencing the wider environment in which we work and live.
For more information
National Obesity Forum
Food Standards Agency
EPHA related articles
European Nutrition and Health Report 2009
WHO Meeting on Community interventions to improve nutrition and physical activity, 21-22 February 2008, Berlin.
EURO-PREVOB - preventing obesity in Europe through effective nutrition and physical activity policy
Eurocare Alcohol and Pregnancy Conference : 9 September 2009, European Parliament
New network aims to combat non-communicable diseases
New studies favour traffic light system for food labelling
