Childhood Obesity: A Growing Pandemic
Reported in The Lancet, childhood obesity rates have increased substantially over the past year in the UK, according to a new report from the UK Government’s National Child Measurement Programme. The report details that this rise in prevalence is the largest single-year increase since the programme began 15 years ago and highlights a trend in obesity among children and adolescents not just in the UK, but worldwide. The trend now extends to both low-income and middle-income countries despite obesity once being seen as a problem mainly for high-income countries. Childhood obesity has long been a cause for concern, but the effects of the pandemic and national lockdowns has added to the issue, making childhood obesity an undeniable public health crisis and one that should be addressed imminently.
A different lifestyle brought about because of lockdown measures including school closures, restrictions on leaving the house, and limitations on meeting new people has meant children have seen a huge jump in screen time and have become more sedentary than they were previously. The CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report measured the effects of these lifestyle changes and it notes that the rate of BMI increase almost doubled in US children and adolescents aged 2–19 years during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic. Children with overweight and obesity are more likely to become adults with obesity and to develop a host of non-communicable diseases including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and have an increased risk of cancer, premature death, and disability later in life.
Read MoreMeet CCH PGDip Graduate, Shaimaa Alasfour!
Shaimaa graduated from CCH in 2020 with a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Obesity Care and Management (now Lifestyle Medicine). Since her graduation she has found fulfilment and happiness working at a health center, using her specialist training in obesity care to make a meaningful impact in the lives of her patients with obesity. Here we have interviewed her about the impact she is making with her postgraduate qualification from CCH.
Q: Hi, Shaima! Where do you work at the moment?
A: At the moment I work in the state of Kuwait, at the Al Nuzha Health Center.
Q: What profession do you work in?
A: I’m currently a consultant in family medicine at MRCGP International, and I specialise in obesity medicine and management as more of a subspecialty.
Q: Who are some of the patients you assist on a day-to-day basis?
A: On a day-to-day basis I deal with many different patients with a variety of diseases from acute to chronic, and also non-communicable conditions which affect all different age groups and ethnicities.
Q: What percentage of your patients have overweight or obesity?
A: It is well known that Kuwait has the highest prevalence of obesity in comparison with other regions in the Gulf. Also, obesity has a significant association to other chronic conditions such as diabetes melitus, hypertension, and so on. I can’t say definitively what percentage of my patients have an abnormally high BMI, but I would say it is more than 75-80% of them that do, and 90% of those patients have some sort of chronic disease from obesity which is why they’re visiting the clinic.
Q: Why did you choose to study obesity care and management?
A: You will be surprised to know that my first choice was to study geriatric care, but luckily, God chose the right path for my career and that was to help and assist with many people, but especially those who have undergone bariatric surgery, and children with obesity, many of whom suffer in silence. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, everyone was affected either mentally or physically, but I felt that children were most significantly affected, especially with weight regain. That is why I have become more focused on children. I want them to live normal and healthy lives without the risk of cardiovascular disease that childhood obesity can bring about.
Q: Why did you choose CCH?
A: There were many important reasons behind my decision to study with CCH. Firstly, I knew CCH could really increase my knowledge in this area, but I also knew they could help enhance my clinical skills as well. Upon studying with CCH, I really noticed an improvement in my critical thinking skills, and also how significantly improved my writing skills became!
Q: How did gaining your PGDip at CCH enhance the care that you provide to your patients?
A: I noticed positive changes during my fellowship in obesity management with Imperial College London especially at the multi-disciplinary team meetings and daily clinic attendance. It also increased my interest in childhood obesity.
Q: What is one of the biggest takeaways you gained from your PGDip as a health professional?
A: My PGDip has made me a lot more confident when treating people with obesity, and it’s also given me a real passion to do it as well!
Q: Would you encourage other health professionals to pursue a PGDip with CCH?
A: Yes, definitely! I would encourage anyone who is interested to go ahead and learn about the mystery of obesity and enrol with the CCH. You’ll start with the basics, and believe me, you will never want to stop until you’ve covered all aspects of obesity!
The College of Contemporary Health, in partnership with the University of Central Lancashire Medical School, offers the first, and only, fully online postgraduate qualifications (PGCert/PGDip/MSc) in Lifestyle Medicine (Obesity Care) not just for UK based students, but for students across the world, like Shaimaa in Kuwait.
We offer 3 student intakes per year starting in January, May, and September.
Click here to apply: Apply for a Postgraduate Qualification in Lifestyle Medicine (Obesity Care).
What is Lifestyle Medicine?
Obesity, along with many other non-communicable diseases, is the result of a complex range of factors, many of which relate to lifestyle, and are underpinned by physical, emotional, environmental and social determinants.
Lifestyle medicine (LM) seeks to address these underlying issues to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and societies. LM offers healthcare professionals and patients a powerful tool for obesity prevention and treatment. LM is not, on its own, the answer to the obesity crisis, but for most people it will be part of the solution.
Lifestyle medicine is an evidence-based approach to educating, guiding and supporting individuals and populations to make positive behaviour changes, with:
A focus on:
- healthy eating
- physical activity
- stress management and
- adequate sleep.
It also emphasises the importance of good mental health and interpersonal relationships, and the individual’s home and community environment.
Lifestyle medicine recognises the need for, and the continued importance of, other therapeutic interventions for obesity, including pharmaceutical and surgical, where appropriate.
The College of Contemporary Health, in partnership with the University of Central Lancashire Medical School, offers the first, and only, fully online postgraduate qualifications (PGCert/PGDip/MSc) in Lifestyle Medicine (Obesity Care) not just for UK based students, but for students across the world.
We offer 3 student intakes per year starting in January, May, and September.
Click here to apply: Apply for a Postgraduate Qualification in Lifestyle Medicine (Obesity Care).
CCH Launches First Course in Arabic!
THE COLLEGE OF CONTEMPORARY HEALTH, LONDON, LAUNCHES FIRST COURSE IN NUTRITION AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT IN ARABIC IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNITED AMERICAN EXPERTISE, CAIRO
The College of Contemporary Health (CCH) is pleased to announce the launch of its highly acclaimed fully online CPD short course, Nutrition and Weight Management Essentials, in Arabic, in association with its Middle Eastern partner, United American Expertise (UNAMEX).
This is a first for CCH in having one of its flagship courses made available to healthcare professionals in the region and intends to make all of its courses in obesity and weight management available in Arabic.
“In 2020, CCH was approached by UNAMEX’s Cairo branch, a long established company in the region prominent in introducing pharmaceutical and healthcare services to the Middle East where there is a major healthcare problem with obesity and its comorbidities including Type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic heart disease, lipedema, many types of cancer, and osteoarthritis” said John Feenie, Founder and CEO of CCH. “Obesity is out-of-control in many Middle Eastern countries, and unfortunately, as in many Western countries, healthcare professionals locally have been inadequately trained to deal with the problem. This course, newly available in Arabic, Nutrition and Weight Management Essentials, provides a strong basis for healthcare professionals to gain the knowledge necessary to help rectify this deficiency. The arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic has brought this deficiency in training into sharp focus as there is clear evidence of a strong link between obesity, its comorbidities, and vulnerability to Covid-19 infection”, he added.
Obesity is out-of-control in many Middle Eastern countries, and unfortunately, as in many Western countries, healthcare professionals locally have been inadequately trained to deal with the problem. This course, newly available in Arabic, Nutrition and Weight Management Essentials, provides a strong basis for healthcare professionals to gain the knowledge necessary to help rectify this deficiency.”
“UNAMEX has a long history of introducing advanced products and services from Western countries to the Middle East via our Cairo office”, said Dr. Khaled Sharaf, General Manager. “In recent years we have concluded that the continuing professional development (CPD) of our healthcare professionals would be an area of opportunity for us, and we decided that our initial venture into this area should be in the rapidly evolving field of obesity care where we learned that CCH, based in London, was a leader in the field. We were especially attracted to their strong capability in online learning as well, which affords busy doctors and other healthcare professionals the time and convenience needed to acquire new knowledge and skills. We have since worked closely together to bring this course to a new audience in Arabic and we are very proud to do this”, Dr. Sharaf added.
The College of Contemporary Health, is located in London and since its establishment in 2013 has been a pioneer in the introduction of advanced online academic and continuing professional development short courses in obesity care and weight management, digital health and behavioural change therapies.
UNAMEX was established in Chicago, Illinois in 1981. In 1982, a new branch was established in Cairo, Egypt. Then, in 2006, another branch was established in Hong Kong. UNAMEX is a consultancy firm specialised in the pharmaceutical & healthcare sector focussing mainly on the Europe & Middle East regions. UNAMEX staff are top eminent professionals in the healthcare sector with extensive experience in consultancy & market research projects.
For further information please contact:
Nicholas Feenie at:
Email: nicholas.feenie@contemporaryhealth.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)20 3773 4895
Dr Khaled Sharaf at:
Email: info@unamex.us
Phone: +201151288333
كلية الصحة المعاصرة (CCH) بلندن تطلق أول دورة في التغذية وإدارة الوزن باللغة العربية بالشراكة مع الشركة الأمريكية المتحدة للخبراء (UNAMEX)، القاهرة
يسر كلية الصحة المعاصرة (CCH) أن تعلن عن إطلاق دورة عبر الإنترنت في التطوير المهني المستمر CPD “أساسيات التغذية وإدارة الوزن” باللغة العربية، بالتعاون مع شريكها في الشرق الأوسط، الشركة الأمريكية المتحدة للخبراء (UNAMEX).
وهذه هي المرة الأولى التي تقدم فيها كلية الصحة المعاصرة (CCH) إحدى دوراتها الرئيسية المتاحة للعاملين في مجال الرعاية الصحية في المنطقة، وتعتزم جعل جميع دوراتها في السمنة وإدارة الوزن متاحة باللغة العربية.
وقال جون فيني، المؤسس والرئيس التنفيذي لشركةCCH : “في عام 2020، تم الاتصال ب CCH من قبل فرع UNAMEX في القاهرة، وهي شركة راسخة منذ فترة طويلة في المنطقة بارزة في تقديم خدمات الأدوية والرعاية الصحية إلى الشرق الأوسط حيث توجد مشكلة رعاية صحية كبيرة مع السمنة والأمراض المرتبطة بها بما في ذلك مرض السكري من النوع 2، وارتفاع ضغط الدم، وأمراض القلب المزمنة، والعديد من أنواع السرطان، وهشاشة العظام.”
“.السمنة خارجة عن السيطرة في العديد من بلدان الشرق الأوسط، وللأسف، كما هو الحال في العديد من البلدان الغربية، لم يتم تدريب المتخصصين في الرعاية الصحية محليا بشكل كاف للتعامل مع المشكلة. توفر هذه الدورة، المتاحة حديثا باللغة العربية، أساسيات التغذية وإدارة الوزن، أساسا قويا للعاملين في مجال الرعاية الصحية لاكتساب المعرفة اللازمة للمساعدة في تصحيح هذا النقص. وقد أدى وصول وباء كوفيد-19 إلى تركيز هذا النقص في التدريب بشكل حاد حيث أن هناك أدلة واضحة على وجود صلة قوية بين السمنة وأمراضها المشتركة والتعرض للعدوى في كوفيد-19″.
وقال الدكتور خالد شرف، المدير العام لشركة UNAMEX: “لدى UNAMEX تاريخ طويل في تقديم المنتجات والخدمات المتقدمة من الدول الغربية إلى الشرق الأوسط من خلال مكتبنا في القاهرة”. “لقد خلصنا في السنوات الأخيرة إلى أن التطوير المهني المستمر (CPD) للعاملين في مجال الرعاية الصحية لدينا سيكون مجالا للفرص بالنسبة لنا، وقررنا أن مشروعنا الأولي في هذا المجال يجب أن يكون في مجال رعاية السمنة المتطور بسرعة حيث علمنا أنCCH ، ومقرها في لندن، كانت رائدة في هذا المجال. وقد انجذبنا بشكل خاص إلى قدرتهم القوية في التعلم عبر الإنترنت أيضا، مما يوفر للأطباء المشغولين وغيرهم من المتخصصين في الرعاية الصحية الوقت والراحة اللازمين لاكتساب المعرفة والمهارات الجديدة. وقد عملنا منذ ذلك الحين معا بشكل وثيق لتقديم هذه الدورة إلى جمهور جديد باللغة العربية ونحن فخورون جدا بالقيام بذلك”.
تقع كلية الصحة المعاصرة في لندن، ومنذ إنشائها في عام 2013 كانت رائدة في إدخال دورات دراسية متقدمة على الإنترنت في مجال رعاية السمنة وإدارة الوزن والصحة الرقمية وعلاجات تغيير السلوك.
تأسست UNAMEX في شيكاغو، إلينوي في عام 1981. في عام 1982، تم تأسيس فرع جديد في القاهرة، مصر. ثم، في عام 2006، تم إنشاء فرع آخر في هونغ كونغ.
UNAMEX هي شركة استشارية متخصصة في قطاع الأدوية والرعاية الصحية تركز بشكل رئيسي على مناطق أوروبا والشرق الأوسط. موظفو UNAMEX هم من كبار المهنيين البارزين في قطاع الرعاية الصحية مع خبرة واسعة في مجال الاستشارات ومشاريع أبحاث السوق.
لمزيد من المعلومات يرجى الاتصال
نيكولاس فيني في:
البريد الإلكتروني: nicholas.feenie@contemporaryhealth.co.uk
الهاتف: +44 (0)20 3773 4895
الدكتور خالد شرف في :41 شارع الفلكى ، القاهرة
البريد الإلكتروني: info@unamex.us
الهاتف +201151288333:
Read More‘’I am more confident in my work with patients’’ – says Divya, CCH Master’s Graduate
1. What inspired you to study obesity care and management?
I work as part of a team in Bristol that supports childhood cancer survivor’s long term after the end of their treatment. We as a team perform a holistic needs assessment each time they attend, and promoting healthy lifestyle routines are central to our discussions. I often support patients wanting to make healthy changes hence my decision to do further study in this area with a particular focus on obesity care as this is something I frequently help patients with.
2. Were there any obstacles to studying with CCH? What were the decisive factors that made you feel that CCH was the right choice?
The only obstacle I encountered through my studies was obtaining funding for each module. I was particularly interested to study with CCH as their programme was flexible and based on distance learning which suited me best.
3. What have you enjoyed the most while studying your MSc in Obesity Care and Management? Why exactly an MSc?
I particularly enjoyed the networking opportunities. With distance learning, you can meet other health care professionals working globally and I found it interesting to share practice. I have always enjoyed further academic work alongside my job, and after a few modules with CCH, I decided that getting the full MSc would be beneficial to my learning and practice with patients. I now have a solid foundation of evidence-based learning in obesity care so I now know that the work I am doing with patients is valid.
4. What has changed most in your practice since starting your studies?
Since my learning at CCH I have broadened my knowledge and expertise in obesity care and management and I am more confident in my work with patients. I have also kept in contact with other professionals I met on the course and we are still able to share skills and practice which is great.
5. What exceeded your expectations while studying at CCH?
During my studies, I was surprised with how I managed to stay motivated and I think the course content and activities were a big part of this. Each week there was a range of activities to get on with and these utilised many platforms such as powerpoint presentations, podcasts, journals, and videos.
6. What is the main reason you would recommend CCH and their Obesity Care and Management courses to your colleagues?
I would recommend courses with CCH for the opportunity to network with other professionals and also for the flexibility available for learning. The content is accessible around the clock so busy health care professionals can complete their learning when it’s convenient for them. The content is so varied and is based on the most up to date evidence-based material. I thoroughly enjoyed my studies and would recommend the MSc for any health care professionals working within public health and health promotion.
Begin your Postgraduate Certificate in Obesity Care and Management!
Apply here: https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/apply/
Congratulations to CCH’s first MSc graduate!
November 5th, 2018 marked a very special day in the calendar for CCH, and the future of the UK’s healthcare workforce. This date saw the graduation of our first full MSc in Obesity Care and Management student, Divya Bassi. Divya, who works for MacMillan Cancer Support, a charity, was awarded the qualification at a degree conferring ceremony at London South Bank University, which is the institution conferring the award.
The College of Contemporary Health was established in late 2013 to provide online instruction in academic and professional development courses in obesity care and management for busy health care professionals. Since that time more than 1000 students have studied various obesity-courses at CCH. It has the most complete suite of online courses in obesity care and weight management of any institution either in the UK, or abroad.
Read MoreCCH Joins National Obesity Care Week 2018: Pledge to Change the Way We Care about Obesity
Today, more than 93 million Americans currently have obesity, and in the last 20 years, obesity rates have doubled among adults. It’s time to change the way we care about obesity. With obesity on the rise, our organization, alongside other organizations, must attack this disease from multiple angles and unite to overhaul the treatment of obesity. At CCH, we recognize this challenge and the important role we can play.
The 4th Annual National Obesity Care Week (NOCW) takes place October 7th through 13th, and seeks to ignite a national movement to ensure anyone affected by obesity receives respectful and comprehensive care. CCH is proud to join the Campaign, which was founded by the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA), The Obesity Society (TOS) and Strategies to Overcome and Prevent Obesity Alliance (STOP).
- All NOCW supporters strongly believe that:
- Individuals with obesity must no longer be the target of weight bias in all of life’s settings, such as healthcare, employment, entertainment, and education.
- Individuals with obesity need to understand that this disease is not solely their responsibility and work with a healthcare provider to manage their obesity long-term.
- Like individuals with other chronic diseases, individuals with obesity must have access to and coverage of science-based treatments to improve their weight and health.
- Healthcare providers need to be trained to provide effective, compassionate science-based care and use of shared decision-making.
- Providers and policy makers must recognize the need for further investment in the education, prevention and treatment of the disease of obesity.
Although it is important to educate people about these reasons to care, we must also address barriers to care such as weight bias in both society and among the medical community. We need more voices – your voice – to reach our goal of achieving better care. You can join us and pledge to take ACTION to Change the Way We Care about Obesity.
Additional information about National Obesity Care Week and ways to take ACTION, including information and resources, is available on ObesityCareWeek.org/ACTION.
Mark your calendars, and join us in recognizing National Obesity Care Week, October 7th – 13th, 2018.
Read More5 Resources All Health Professionals Should Know About
A lot of resources that are available for healthcare professionals (HCPs) are outdated, too commercial, and lack trust from the HCP community. But there are some hidden gems however, especially concerning the fields of modern health conditions, that we believe will be beneficial for those who utilise them.
1. Professr
Have you ever wanted somewhere other than Facebook to communicate with fellow health professionals?
Professr is UK based digital startup with a dedicated platform for health professionals to communicate and network with one another.
The platform is provided as a free resource to health professionals, with the intention of encouraging multidisciplinary communication and helping health professionals to support each other in an increasingly high pressure healthcare environment. This is particularly important for those who are newer to their field of practice (i.e. junior doctors), or those who work in remote or isolated conditions (i.e. outreach workers).
Professr’s forum-like features allow members to upvote and downvote answers to questions relating to healthcare, creating a repository of community-rated information. Having an opportunity to gain insights with professionals from multiple disciplines enriches the perspective of a health professional and can aid in providing better outcomes for patients.
2. CCH Toolkits
The College of Contemporary Health (CCH) is renowned as the leading global educator for obesity. They offer a range of course types including postgraduate courses and modules, short courses and on-demand courses. The short courses and on-demand courses both offer continuing professional development (CPD) credits which can be used to build professional standing, while the postgraduate options are ideal for healthcare professionals who are looking to further develop their skills and understanding in weight management and obesity care.
Besides a full range postgraduate and short courses, CCH has developed an ever growing range of toolkits. CCH toolkits are designed to be used as handouts for health professionals who can use them for themselves, or distribute to their patients.
These toolkits are easily available, open for the public, and completely free. Here you will find resources associated with health, weight management, nutrition, sleep, fatigue, mental health and many other contemporary health issues that you can refer to, and use, both personally and professionally.
The CCH Team are committed to building a comprehensive library of resources, and are constantly updating their website with new toolkits, so be sure to come back frequently or subscribe to CCH’s mailing list and have new toolkits delivered to your mailbox monthly.
You can sign up here: https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/preferences
3. Conferences (Diabetes Professional Care)
Conferences are an excellent resource for health professionals that are often not utilised enough. They provide a great place to network, learn from industry leaders, and build relationships with those who share a passion for the same field of health you practise in.
Although conferences can sometimes be rather pricey to attend, some of the best ones, are in fact, free. An example of a great free-to-attend conference is Diabetes Professional Care (DPC). DPC is the is a unique, free-to-attend, CPD-accredited event for healthcare professionals (HCPs) involved in the prevention, treatment and management of diabetes, and its related conditions. Launched in 2015, DPC meets a real and increasing need for accessible education among HCPs by arming them with the skills and knowledge to provide better care for their patients.
DPC2017 attracted a record attendance of 3,235 visitors – and DPC2018 promises to be even bigger and better. So, if you’re a professional responsible for delivering diabetes care pathways at any level, it is the one event you can’t afford to miss.
This year’s DPC is on the 14th and 15th of November in London’s Kensington Olympia.
You can find more information here: https://www.diabetesprofessionalcare.com/
4. BMJ Best Practice
Healthtech is a constantly growing field and isn’t just limited to our two previously mentioned healthtech innovators such as great social platforms like Professr, and forward thinking online education institution, the College of Contemporary Health.
Instead, there has been an emergence of tools that help personal performance as a health professional and aid practice. One such tool is BMJ Best Practice.
BMJ Best Practice is ranked one of the best clinical decision support tools for health professionals worldwide. It takes you quickly and accurately to the latest evidence-based information, whenever and wherever you need it. They provide a step-by-step guidance on diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention that is updated daily using robust evidence based methodology and expert opinion. Their goal is to support you in implementing good practice.
You can find more information on BMJ Best Practice here: https://bestpractice.bmj.com/info/
5. Podcasts. (Dr Chatterjee’s Feel Better, Live More)
In the field of health, there are always new developments and information that health professionals are constantly being bombarded with, and in many cases, just don’t have the time to read, watch, or catch up with. Podcasts are an excellent way of keeping up-to-date with the latest information without having to invest a huge amount of time or focus doing so. Podcasts can be listened to passively while you’re commuting, doing the washing up, or whatever mundane task you may be performing.
Our podcast pick is Dr Chatterjee’s Feel Better, Live More. It covers a range of topical issues in health, usually with highly influential guests who are experts in the area being covered. Topics have ranged from childhood obesity with Jamie Oliver, to brain nourishing foods with neuroscientist, Dr Lisa Mosconi.
The podcast is usually released on a weekly basis so it can fit into your busy schedule, perhaps your Monday morning commute.
For more information please click here: drchatterjee.com/blog/category/podcast/
Read MoreWhat is the Solution to the Diabetes Crisis?
What is the solution to our diabetes crisis? Just how do we prevent diabetes?
Last week in the UK, from the 16th to the 22nd of April, was Diabetes Prevention Week. The NHS, as part of their very own Diabetes Prevention Programme, set up the event in the hopes of raising awareness of the disease and their Healthier You programme. Diabetes Prevention Week provided an excellent chance to spread awareness of a disease that most people don’t really know anything about. The word diabetes for some brings up images of sugar-free diets, insulin injections, and in some cases, the possibility of losing limbs, but that’s about it. Unfortunately, most of the public are unaware of many of the details of the disease, from the 2 different types, to the causes of each type, or the impact it can have on the lives of those it affects, and that should certainly change. But besides campaigns such as this one by the NHS, what has actually been done, or even proposed, as a measure to help prevent diabetes? And, how do we prevent diabetes? Is it even possible?
To fully appreciate Diabetes Prevention Week you have to first understand the disease of diabetes. Not everyone knows, but there are two very different types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease, which means that the immune system mistakenly attacks parts of the body rather than protecting them, and in the case of type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks insulin producing beta-cells in the pancreas. This means that those with type 1 diabetes are incapable of producing insulin, making them insulin dependent, requiring them to inject themselves with insulin to compensate. It is not fully understood what the cause of type 1 diabetes is, however it is believed that both genetic and environmental factors are involved.
Type 2 diabetes is entirely different to type 1. The autoimmune system of those with type 2 diabetes functions properly, and instead of being insulin dependent like type 1 sufferers, type 2 sufferers are insulin resistant. Their bodies lose the ability to respond to insulin. The body compensates for the ineffectiveness of its insulin by producing more, but it can’t always produce enough. Over time, the strain placed on the beta cells by this level of insulin production can destroy them, diminishing insulin production. Around 90% of all diabetes cases are type 2, and the vast majority of them are caused by overweight or obesity. Although, it is believed that in some of these cases genetic factors are also involved.
Download our toolkit for reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes here: https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/portfolio/reduce-the-risk-of-developing-diabetes/
Public awareness of the disease is a great tool in its prevention, however, governments across the globe are taking it upon themselves to develop and implement policies that will help reduce the numbers of those developing it even further. In Singapore for example, the Ministry of Health has outlined plans that they say will directly combat diabetes. Included in this plan is the installation of more water fountains in public places to wean people off sweet drinks, competitions to promote cooking healthy food, engaging with celebrities to promote healthier eating, restrictions on fast-food and snack advertisements, and giving out health points and travel rebates to encourage physical activity. It will certainly be exciting to see the results of this extensive plan, and just how preventative the proposed strategies prove to be.
In the UK, the National Health Service spends £12 Million a year treating those with the disease. This figure has united members of parliament and health professionals alike, to act immediately on the crisis. Tahseen Chowdhury, a specialist in diabetes and metabolism at Barts Health NHS Trust in London, suggested that “the NHS should put people with type 2 diabetes on drastic diets to reverse the condition, instead of spending billions of pounds trying to treat it.” Members of parliament have suggested recently that good preventative measure would be to restrict the advertising of junk food even further than it already is, and outlaw offers and deals on junk food that seem to be prolific in every major supermarket.
All aforementioned preventive measures by governments, MPs and members of the public, focus on diet and weight management, so why do we focus so much on diabetes prevention and not obesity and overweight prevention? Type 2 diabetes can be prevented and in some cases reversed, while type 1 can’t, so it’s misleading and confusing to have a Diabetes Prevention Week, when only one form of the disease can actually be prevented.
We should instead have an Obesity Prevention Week, as it’s impossible to prevent type 1 diabetes, but type 2 diabetes, which makes up 90% of all diabetes sufferers, can be prevented through effective weight management and lifestyle intervention. Not only will raising awareness for preventing overweight and obesity help prevent the majority of type 2 diabetes cases, but the whole range of comorbidities that come with overweight and obesity such as: heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, gout, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and many different types of cancer.
We will only ever have a solution to the diabetes crisis when we have a solution to the obesity crisis.
Read MoreJunk Food Advertising: How Much is Too Much?
Last week saw the implementation of the “sugar tax.” It is one of the first big government initiatives here in the UK aimed specifically at dealing with the obesity epidemic with the hope of improving public health. Despite this initial effort from the government, many are calling for even more action to be taken with some pointing their fingers squarely at the advertising industry. It’s believed that the sheer amount of advertising for sugary, salty, and high fat junk food is excessive, targets children unfairly, and promotes poor diets and ill-health. With obesity and childhood obesity numbers continuing to soar, do those who wish to see a limit on junk food advertising have a point?
Although a declining medium of entertainment, especially among youths, television is still the biggest forum for advertisers to get their message to as much of the public as possible. Prime time television in the UK can still draw huge numbers of viewers with programmes like The Voice attracting 5.6 million viewers for its 2017 season premiere. Out of that 5.6 million people, roughly 710,000 children were viewers, with Liverpool University appetite and obesity researchers finding that those children faced no fewer than 12 junk food ads during the hour, with ads for Domino’s pizzas, McVitie’s chocolate digestive nibbles, and Anchor spreadable butter making up just a few. Experts who looked at the data collated by the Liverpool University researchers claimed that children were being “bombarded” with junk food ads and that a minimum of a 9pm watershed on these adverts was necessary, saying current guidelines were “failing children”.
As more and more children begin to abandon television for more portable forms of entertainment like mobile phones and tablets, it is only necessary that we should turn our attention to the presence of junk food advertisements on those devices. Social media, media platforms like Youtube, and many other popular websites frequented by the public and children are often strewn with junk food ads. Research in Canada discovered that over 90% of food and beverage product ads viewed by children and youth online were for unhealthy food products. Although those figures were for Canada, it is hard to imagine that it’s much different in the UK where the culture and obesity figures are similar.
Junk food advertising doesn’t just stop once the screens are off. Anyone who has been to a supermarket recently will know that the offers for junk food are ubiquitous with every aisle enticing customers to be upsold on energy dense, nutrient poor junk food. Even their placement at supermarket checkouts are strategic in their lure to get the public to act on their impulse and make a thoughtless, unnecessary purchase of something unhealthy. This however, has not gone unnoticed by members of the health conscious public as a committee of MPs, as recently as 2017, put forward a plan to restrict supermarkets from offering “deep discounts” on a variety of unhealthy foods, especially junk food. There has also been pushback on just where in the supermarkets junk food should be sold with the Department of Health putting forward a code stating “that in retail stores with more than four checkout lanes, a minimum of one should be free of junk food.” Despite these being a step in the direction towards a healthier public, they are all optional for retailers, and whether or not they participate, is up to them.
Despite the call for junk food advertising bans, there are however some junk food advertising restrictions already in place. Since July 1st 2017 advertisers were no longer allowed to show online ads for food and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar in all media where under-16s made up a quarter of the audience. Other restrictions also include the current rules, introduced in 2007, that bans the advertising of high-fat, high-sugar foods during children’s TV programmes or any programme where 75% of the audience will be children. Just yesterday, The Times reported that, “junk food advertisements would be blocked on social media under plans being drawn up in the fight against obesity,” and that, “curbs on advertising junk food, including a 9pm watershed, were being worked on in Downing Street after Theresa May reversed her opposition to restrictions on marketing.”
So, some calls for junk food advertising restrictions are being heeded, and new restrictions would mark a big change for junk food advertisers, but some believe in extending those even further with prized neuroscientist, Wolfram Schultz, believing that selling junk food in plain packaging could help even further in the battle against obesity. He believes that, “the colourful wrapping and attractive advertising of calorie-rich foods encourage people to buy items that put them at risk of overeating and becoming obese in the future.” Despite this seeming like quite an extreme measure, it has been implemented for cigarettes in some countries like the UK and Australia. However, this seems unlikely to change for junk food any time soon.
Government imposed restrictions on junk food advertising are a great tool in helping the public to make healthier food choices, but if there is to be real change it also needs to come from the networks and platforms who display the advertisements. A glimmer of hope was recently seen in the United States when, in 2015, an independent initiative from Disney brought a self-imposed ban on junk food advertising on any of its TV channels, radio stations, and websites intended for children. It was the first major media company in which to do so.
The most effective change will come when both government and business act responsibly and work together to reduce the amount of unhealthy junk food advertising that the public is constantly exposed to.
Read MoreThe 3 Most Innovative Government Plans to Tackle Obesity
Today, here in the UK, is a monumental day for public health. April 6th marks the debut of the much deliberated, and heavily debated, implementation of what is now commonly known as the “Sugar Tax.” This means that from today, the UK’s tax on sugary drinks will see shoppers being asked to pay 18p or 24p more a litre, depending on just how much sugar has been added to their drinks. The hope is that either the consumer will be put off by the higher price of the product, or the manufacturers will have more incentive to reduce the sugar content of their goods. Both outcomes are a big win for public health. Despite this being a big day for public health in the UK, taxing unhealthy products, like cigarettes, making them more expensive and off-putting for consumers is a strategy that has been around for years and hardly innovative. If the UK’s government is to make any serious impact on the obesity epidemic it should take a look across the globe to see how other governments are implementing new and innovative strategies to tackle the same epidemic it faces. Here are 3 of the most innovative government plans developed in order to tackle obesity.
Amsterdam: Amsterdam is a city filled with limber cyclists and walkable streets next to beautiful canals, so it comes as a big surprise to learn that it has the highest rate of childhood obesity in the Netherlands. In 2014, the proportion of 5-year-olds in Amsterdam who were overweight or obese stood at 13.9%. Politician Eric van der Burg took it upon himself to help Amsterdam achieve the lofty goal of not a single child in Amsterdam with obesity by 2033 with a city-wide anti-obesity campaign. The campaign mandates that children are now weighed and measured at school every year, despite parents’ initial objections. Children in certain schools are banned from bringing sugary drinks like squashes and juices to campus, and instead may only bring water and milk. Students are also presented with vegetables like carrots and radishes, and instructed that they must at least try them. Amsterdam now also refuses funding for events that are sponsored by McDonalds or Coca-Cola, whose junk food message doesn’t comply with the anti-obesity campaign.
Qatar: Qatar is a tiny Gulf state known for its rich natural resources and as the future hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Despite its great wealth, Qatar is battling a serious public health crisis with obesity and its comorbidities with 7 out of 10 Qataris either overweight or obese, and almost 1 in 5 with diabetes. Later this year, Qatar is set to become the first country in the world to start screening its entire adult population for diabetes, one of the most deadly comorbidities of obesity. On top of this screening initiative, the National Diabetes Committee has started to use other less conventional channels to help get their healthy message to more of the public. They are helping to educate Imams on how their weekly sermon can help improve the lifestyle of those in attendance by using examples from religion.
Vanuatu: Vanuatu is a small archipelago nation in the South Pacific off the east coast of Australia. It is mostly known for its coral reefs, great scuba diving, and white sandy beaches. However, it is beginning to gain a reputation as one of the most obese nations in the world with 28% of the country’s residents suffering from obesity according to the World Health Organisation. The Vanuatu government has decided to pinpoint what it believes is the cause of the problem and take direct action. Western junk food is believed to be the prime culprit in the explosion of obesity on the island and the plan is to ban it at government events and tourist spots in one of its provinces, Torba, to help curb rising obesity. In place of the junk food in Torba it aims to be the first organic province by the year 2020 with residents utilising locally grown or sourced food exclusively to sustain its population including fish, crabs, shellfish, taro, yams, paw paw and pineapple.
To learn more about obesity, its prevention, and its treatment please look at CCH’s Postgraduate Academic Courses in Lifestyle Medicine (Obesity Care), and CPD Short Courses in topics such as childhood obesity and behaviour change, designed to up-skill health professionals in this vitally important, and often overlooked, area of care.
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