Charity calls for more intervention from Scottish Government to tackle growing obesity crisis
More than 80,000 Scottish children have started primary school overweight or obese since 2005, new research has found.
The shocking figures were revealed by Cancer Research UK on World Obesity Day as it launched its latest campaign, Scale Down Cancer.
According to the charity, Scotland has one of the heaviest populations in Europe, with two in three adults overweight or obese.
The country is also the fizzy drink capital of the UK, with households spending over a quarter more than other UK nations on soft drinks.
Campaigners fear that unless action is taken, there will be crippling consequences for society and health services, with the cost of obesity to the NHS in Scotland already estimated at £600 million a year.
We should be concerned too about the picture this paints as we know that obese children are around five times more likely to become obese adults
The charity is now calling on more intervention from the Scottish Government including restrictions on billboard adverts for unhealthy food and drinks and a crackdown on supermarket multi-buy discounts on sweet snacks.
Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK’s cancer prevention expert, said obesity is linked to 13 types of cancer including bowel, breast and pancreatic.
She added: “It is really very worrying that children as young as four-years-old are entering primary school carrying too much weight.
“We should be concerned too about the picture this paints for the health of the nation as we know that obese children are around five times more likely to become obese adults.
“The Scottish Government must do more to serve up a better future for our children and protect youngsters from being bombarded by junk food marketing on TV, as well as the barrage of supermarket multi-buy offers on sugar and fat-laden food and drinks.”
Mother-of-three Kirsty Thomasson is backing the campaign.
The nurse, from Inverurie, was until recently very overweight. She said the convenience of fast food and snacks were to blame for her condition and called for action to be taken on junk food advertising.
Ms Thomasson said: “I think advertising does influence what you buy, that’s why the junk food companies invest in it.
“We are all so busy, and we’re bombarded with adverts for junk food all the time, that Scotland has become a fast food nation. And, as a nurse, I see the awful consequences of what obesity can do to your health all the time.
“I think it’s awful that so many children now are obese, and it’s about time we all took responsibility and did something about it.”
