Obesity a consequence of modern life: UK thinktank

Reuters
Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:44am EDT
By Jennifer Hill

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Obesity does not result simply from over-eating and a lack of exercise but is a consequence of modern life, a British government thinktank said on Wednesday.

Being overweight is a far more passive phenomenon than is often assumed, according to Foresight.

It found in a report that the technological revolution of the 20th century has led to weight gain becoming unavoidable for most people because our bodies and biological make-up are out of step with our surroundings.

"Stocking up on food was key to survival in prehistoric times, but now with energy-dense, cheap foods, labor-saving devices, motorized transport and sedentary work, obesity is rapidly becoming a consequence of modern life," said Sir David King, the British government's chief scientific adviser and head of the Foresight program.

The report, sponsored by the Department of Health, is the result of a two-year study into the causes of obesity involving almost 250 experts and scientists.

They predicted that the so-called obesity "epidemic" would take at least 30 years to reverse.

Until now, the government has concentrated on encouraging people, particularly children, to lead a healthier lifestyle, eating less fattening foods and taking more exercise.

ATTITUDE CHANGE

But King said a wholesale change in attitudes was needed.

"Foresight has, for the first time, drawn together complex evidence to show that we must fight the notion that the current obesity epidemic arises from individual over-indulgence or laziness alone," he said.

"Personal responsibility is important, but our study shows the problem is much more complicated. It is a wake-up call for the nation, showing that only change across many elements of our society will help us tackle obesity."

The researchers said there was no single "magic bullet" solution; even a new appetite-suppressing drug would not be the answer, because the problem is systemic.

Tackling obesity, like tackling climate change, requires a range of changes in society, from increasing everyday activity through urban design and transport systems to shifting the drivers of the food chain and consumer purchasing patterns to favor healthier options.

If current obesity growth rates continue, some 60 percent of men, 50 percent of women and 25 percent of children in Britain will be obese by 2050, according to the researchers.

Associated chronic health problems are projected to cost society an additional 45.5 billion pounds ($92.57 billion) per year.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson told parliament that government alone could not tackle all the problems.

"The chilling reality is that modern life makes us overweight," he said. "In a sense, we are the victims of our economic success. Tackling this problem calls for a fundamental shift in approach."

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