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| Healthy living strategy launched | Healthy living strategy launched |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A £372m anti-obesity strategy aimed at "transforming the environment" in which people in England live has been launched by the government. | A £372m anti-obesity strategy aimed at "transforming the environment" in which people in England live has been launched by the government. |
| Ministers said support and information - rather than "hectoring and lecturing" - were key to cutting obesity. | Ministers said support and information - rather than "hectoring and lecturing" - were key to cutting obesity. |
| The strategy includes a £75m "aggressive" campaign to promote healthy living to parents. | The strategy includes a £75m "aggressive" campaign to promote healthy living to parents. |
| Several "healthy towns" will be created at a cost of £30m with comprehensive cycle routes and pedestrian areas. | Several "healthy towns" will be created at a cost of £30m with comprehensive cycle routes and pedestrian areas. |
| Tackling obesity is the most significant public and personal health challenge facing our society Alan JohnsonHealth Secretary Beating the bulge (again)Town designed to be healthy | Tackling obesity is the most significant public and personal health challenge facing our society Alan JohnsonHealth Secretary Beating the bulge (again)Town designed to be healthy |
| Announcing the strategy, Health Secretary Alan Johnson said food labelling was also key to helping people eat well, and said regulation may be needed if industry could not agree to use one system. | Announcing the strategy, Health Secretary Alan Johnson said food labelling was also key to helping people eat well, and said regulation may be needed if industry could not agree to use one system. |
| There are currently two systems, with the government backing the "traffic light" system as opposed to labelling showing the percentages of guideline daily amounts (GDAs) a product contains. | There are currently two systems, with the government backing the "traffic light" system as opposed to labelling showing the percentages of guideline daily amounts (GDAs) a product contains. |
| The strategy also brings together existing ideas such as promoting breastfeeding. | The strategy also brings together existing ideas such as promoting breastfeeding. |
| In the UK, nearly a quarter of adults and nearly a fifth of children are obese after sharp increases in the last decade. | In the UK, nearly a quarter of adults and nearly a fifth of children are obese after sharp increases in the last decade. |
| Experts have warned the number could soar unless action is taken. It is predicted that 60% of men, 50% of women and 25% of children could be obese by 2050 if action is not taken. | Experts have warned the number could soar unless action is taken. It is predicted that 60% of men, 50% of women and 25% of children could be obese by 2050 if action is not taken. |
| Children top priority | Children top priority |
| Obesity is linked to an increased risk of cancer, heart and liver disease and diabetes. | Obesity is linked to an increased risk of cancer, heart and liver disease and diabetes. |
| MAIN MEASURES Identify at-risk families and offer early support and adviceMake cooking lessons compulsory for childrenIncrease children's activity levels£75m healthy living marketing campain aimed at parentsWork with industry to agree a universal food labelling system and to reduce portion sizes of fatty or salty foodsA review of junk food ad rulesLimit fast-food outlets near schools and parksIncentives to encourage weight-lossPersonalised support via the NHS Choices website and more weight management services | MAIN MEASURES Identify at-risk families and offer early support and adviceMake cooking lessons compulsory for childrenIncrease children's activity levels£75m healthy living marketing campain aimed at parentsWork with industry to agree a universal food labelling system and to reduce portion sizes of fatty or salty foodsA review of junk food ad rulesLimit fast-food outlets near schools and parksIncentives to encourage weight-lossPersonalised support via the NHS Choices website and more weight management services |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "We must do nothing less than transform the environment in which we all live. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "We must do nothing less than transform the environment in which we all live. |
| "We must increase the opportunities we all have to make healthy choices around the exercise we take and the food we eat." | "We must increase the opportunities we all have to make healthy choices around the exercise we take and the food we eat." |
| Ministers said tackling child obesity was its main aim. They pledged to reduce child obesity levels to those of the year 2000 by 2020. | Ministers said tackling child obesity was its main aim. They pledged to reduce child obesity levels to those of the year 2000 by 2020. |
| The strategy focuses on measures to improve diet and lifestyle for pregnant women and children. | The strategy focuses on measures to improve diet and lifestyle for pregnant women and children. |
| It includes the plans launched earlier this week for all children to receive cookery lessons in schools, and calls on all schools to have healthy lunchbox policies. | It includes the plans launched earlier this week for all children to receive cookery lessons in schools, and calls on all schools to have healthy lunchbox policies. |
| Planning powers | Planning powers |
| Councils will also be urged to use their planning powers to prevent fast-food outlets setting up near schools. | Councils will also be urged to use their planning powers to prevent fast-food outlets setting up near schools. |
| But it also sets out ways to improve adults' lifestyles, raising the possiblility of financial incentives being paid to people to encourage them to live more healthily. | But it also sets out ways to improve adults' lifestyles, raising the possiblility of financial incentives being paid to people to encourage them to live more healthily. |
| Existing measures to boost the number of people walking or cycling, rather than using the car are also included. | Existing measures to boost the number of people walking or cycling, rather than using the car are also included. |
| Other measures outlined in the document include an early review of the measures being introduced by broadcasting regulators Ofcom to regulate junk food ads to children and a plan to talk to the entertainment industry about tools to allow parents to manage how long children spend watching TV or playing computer games. | Other measures outlined in the document include an early review of the measures being introduced by broadcasting regulators Ofcom to regulate junk food ads to children and a plan to talk to the entertainment industry about tools to allow parents to manage how long children spend watching TV or playing computer games. |
| Employers will also be asked to play more of a role in helping workers be healthy - ministers suggesting holding weight loss competitions as a way of encouraging employees to lose weight. | Employers will also be asked to play more of a role in helping workers be healthy - ministers suggesting holding weight loss competitions as a way of encouraging employees to lose weight. |
| Complex solution | Complex solution |
| Mr Johnson said: "Tackling obesity is the most significant public and personal health challenge facing our society. | Mr Johnson said: "Tackling obesity is the most significant public and personal health challenge facing our society. |
| "The core of the problem is simple - we eat too much and we do too little exercise. The solution is more complex. | "The core of the problem is simple - we eat too much and we do too little exercise. The solution is more complex. |
| "From the nature of the food we eat, to the built environment , through to the way our children lead their lives - it is harder to avoid obesity in the modern environment." | "From the nature of the food we eat, to the built environment , through to the way our children lead their lives - it is harder to avoid obesity in the modern environment." |
| Professor Susan Jebb, who led the expert group advised the government on drawing up the strategy, said having an over-arching plan was more important than headline-grabbing initiatives, and she welcomed the fact there would be an annual review of how measures were working. | Professor Susan Jebb, who led the expert group advised the government on drawing up the strategy, said having an over-arching plan was more important than headline-grabbing initiatives, and she welcomed the fact there would be an annual review of how measures were working. |
| But she added: "A strategy alone doesn't miraculously help people live healthier lives. It has got to be transformed into concrete action." | But she added: "A strategy alone doesn't miraculously help people live healthier lives. It has got to be transformed into concrete action." |
| Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "Labour have failed to make public health a priority. | |
| "Under Gordon Brown, public health budgets have been raided, specialist staff cut and obesity targets missed and scrapped." |