Healthy Living - The Government Step Up

Posted 18 February 2009

Healthy living is top of the government's agenda as the UK faces an obesity epidemic.

The secretary of state for health, Alan Johnson, has spearheaded a new healthy living campaign in an attempt to tackle the rising obesity epidemic in the UK. Writing an opinion piece in the Sunday Times, Mr Johnson said healthy living was crucial to help counteract the fact two-thirds of adults and a third of children are now classed as overweight or obese in Britain.

Healthy Living Campaigns

The government has said without healthy living campaigns and a seismic shift in the UK's attitude to weight and exercise, that 90% of adults and two-thirds of children could be obese or overweight by 2050. Healthy living campaigns have come and gone over the years to try and change attitudes to heart health, smoking and alcohol. But there are concerns that many health living initiatives simply don't have a lasting impact. Incorporating healthy cooking and walking into our day to day routines in a realistic way is perhaps the most effective way of changing lifestyles over the long term.

Government Promotes Healthy Living

But healthy living is a massive government issue as it costs the country so much financially and emotionally - obesity has a severe impact on health, increasing the risk of diseases including diabetes, heart disease, cancer and liver disease; the impact on health care costs is crippling. It's been estimated that by 2050, 60% of men, half of women and a quarter of children will be obese if healthy living initiatives are not embraced. The impact of obesity is premature deaths, affecting millions of lives - and yet healthy living is a relatively simple solution: more physical exercise, fewer calories and more fruit and veg.
The government, however; may need to take more action to ensure simple healthy living is incorporated into the UK lifestyle. In modern life, we drive, shop conveniently at supermarkets, sit in offices and use our leisure time in front of TVs and computers. As a result, the government has published a strategy on obesity and is committed to annual reports on the epidemic to make recommendations on how to incorporate healthy living into British life.

Healthy Living Strategy to Beat Obesity

The healthy living strategy outlined by Alan Johnson plans to target five areas: a healthy lifestyle for children, a healthier diet, how to incorporate more physical activity into our day to day lives, information and guidance for those already struggling with their weight, and more incentives to embrace healthy living. Ultimately, healthy living is the choice of the individual. There are healthy living experts and guidance available - and with the right information and motivation you can change your lifestyle for good. As Alan Johnson wrote in his piece, "Obviously, government action alone is not enough. We will succeed only if the problem is recognised, owned and addressed in every part of society..."

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