Awareness week raises obesity issues

The Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust (TOAST) has joined forces with leisure operators this week (12-18 March) to highlight the problem of obesity in the UK.

As part of the sixth Obesity Awareness Week, leisure management company Leisure Connection is offering new members joining this week their first seven days free.

Meanwhile, LA Fitness is offering all TOAST members a free three-day pass this month.

According to TOAST, obesity has grown by 400 per cent in the last 25 years, meaning that two thirds of the population are now classified as overweight or obese.

The charity has also revealed that one in three children are overweight and one in nine obese.

These figures follow the recent warning from the Healthcare Commission, the National Audit Office and the Audit Commission that, without clearer leadership, the government will not meet its target of halting the rise in obesity in children under 11 by 2010.

The target was set by the departments for Health; Culture, Media and Sport; and Education and Skills in 2004. However, the joint report, Tackling Child Obesity – First Steps, says that a lack of timely guidance has left organisations along the delivery chain unclear about their roles.

In response, sports minister Richard Caborn, said: “Our long-term ambition is to offer all children at least four hours of sport a week, two hours of PE and two to three additional hours outside of school, by 2010.” Details: www. healthcarecommission.org.uk and www.toast-uk.org