Health tsar to fight the fat

in to tackle alarming levels of obesity which have resulted in two out of every three adults in Bradford being overweight.

The appointment is one of a raft of proposals to slim down the district's population and prevent deaths from heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Bradford Council's Health Improvement Committee obesity review group also wants long-term funding to be made available to calculate everyone's body mass index (BMI) - the most commonly-used measure of obesity - and gain an insight into the true scale of the problem.

Short-term funding has already been found to pay for a health analyst to specifically undertake this work in the district for up to two years.

Councillor Michael Kelly, chairman of the review group, said: "We believe that a real difference to the health of the district could be made by concerted efforts to tackle obesity at the start of the 21st century.

"If this happens the benefits will be of major significance. About two out of every three adults are obese or overweight. Even by reducing these figures by a few percentage points will, in the long term, reduce levels of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and many other life-threatening or debilitating diseases."

Coun Kelly said there were no instant fixes but the committee's first recommendation was to appoint an official whose job would be to tackle obesity.

"We look forward to seeing a strong, committed person appointed to this role who will present the necessary challenge to organisations faced with a plethora of priorities," he said.

Funding for the post will be sought from the Department of Health if members of the Health Improvement Committee agree to support the recommendations of the report when it meets tomorrow.

Levels of obesity have trebled since the 1980s and there is evidence the rate is rapidly increasing in children and young people.

Indications show that approximately two thirds of men and half of all women are risking their health by being overweight.

Body mass index can be calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres. A result between 18.5 - 24.9 is normal; 25 - 29.9 is regarded as overweight; 30 - 39.9 obese; and a figure over 40 is termed morbidly obese.

An estimated 42,480 people aged two to 24 are either overweight or obese in the Bradford district.

And an on-going survey by Bradford City Teaching Primary Care Trust has so far found that one in five people aged 15 to 75 were officially rated as obese.

Lack of exercise and junk food is blamed - with 26 per cent of children in Bradford doing less than one activity a week outside of PE lessons which makes them out of breath or sweaty and 59 per cent of 14 to 15-year-olds eating less than two portions of fruit and vegetable a day.

Those most at risk of becoming obese include children with an obese parent, people who have stopped smoking and people with disabilities. It is also more common in those from deprived areas, especially women.

People of South Asian origin are also more likely to develop obesity-related disorders such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer and gall bladder disease.

Nationally obesity costs the NHS £3.7 billion a year and accounts for 9,000 premature deaths annually.

To tackle the problem the obesity committee has been carrying out research working in partnership with health organisations, private companies, the voluntary sector and schools.

Its first report, called Healthier Communities - Tackling Obesity, also recommends:

l the collection of data for obese and overweight adults and children in the district to enable trends and patterns to monitored;

l a project be set up in Keighley to find out what services are available in the area; an award scheme be set up for employers to promote the health of their employees;

l that all local authority schools and NHS employers lead by example and that the district's primary care trusts explore increased partnership work with the private sector to reduce levels of obesity; and

l that the director of education ensures all schools provide healthy food and deliver Government targets on the provision of physical education and sport.

Coun Kelly said: "Of course, there will be long-term benefits to individuals but better health will reduce sickness absenteeism and the resources needed by the NHS and other agencies. A healthier district will become a more prosperous district."

Speaking on behalf of the district's four primary care trusts, specialist registrar in public health Shirley Brierley said: "We welcome the obesity review of the Health Improvement Committee.

"The primary care trusts recognise the impact of increasing obesity on the health of the population of Bradford, particularly on heart disease and diabetes.

"We therefore welcome all the specific recommendations of the obesity review group subcommittee.

"The PCTs have many examples of projects and activities which encourage people to eat a healthy, balanced diet and be more physically active, both of which reduce the risk of obesity.

"We are working to further strengthen partnership working across the Bradford district to tackle obesity and to continue working towards making healthy lifestyles an easier choice for the people of the Bradford district."