Political spin will not solve obesity time bomb

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 25th Aug 2006

Commenting on a Department of Health report showing that on current trends 33% of men and 28% of women will be obese by 2010, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, Sandra Gidley MP said:

"These figures are shocking, but hardly surprising. The extent of the obesity epidemic has been known for some time. It was raised in a health select committee report which ministers have spectacularly ignored.

"This week's rebranding of Caroline Flint as fitness minister was a gimmick intended to shift attention away from the Government's failure to tackle the time bomb of obesity in this country. Obesity is one of the issues which she should already be dealing with as the Minister responsible for public health.

"The Government has created measures for GPs to identify obesity but have not backed them up with concrete resources to actually tackle the problems.

"Good exercise habits are essential and are learned early on. Liberal Democrat research has found that 70% of children leaving school this year will drop out of sports altogether as they leave the school gates. Yet money promised by the Government to schools to improve sports facilities is not getting there, while school playing fields have declined in number in the last 10 years.

"If the Government continues to prioritise spin over concrete action, over half the nation's children will be obese by 2020. It means a whole generation facing type-two diabetes, heart disease and premature death."