Johnson wants 'obesity movement' in UK

Thursday, 24 July 2008 12:00 AM

Health secretary Alan Johnson says the government should lead a national "movement" taking on the obesity challenge.

Two-thirds of all adults and one-third of all children in Britain are overweight or obese and the government, recognising the problem, published its anti-obesity strategy in February.

Mr Johnson, in a speech to the Fabian Society, said the "challenges of the risks of chronic and lifestyle diseases" must be tackled by the NHS in the 21st century.

He is confident that the UK's strategy makes it a "global leader" in tackling the problem, explaining that as obesity is a lifestyle disease "it requires us to change the way we live".

"We need a national movement that will bring about a fundamental change in the way we live our lives," Mr Johnson said.

"We are clear that this is not something that government can do on its own. The state cannot and should not micromanage the choices that people make in their daily lives.

"We are calling on everyone - from the smallest community keep fit class to the biggest retailers in the land - to join in this campaign to change the way we live our lives."

The government wants assistance from families, employers, retailers, the leisure industry the media, local government and the voluntary sector in this movement.

Only this direct action will prevent direct health costs of obesity rising sevenfold by 2050, Mr Johnson warned.

Labour is rejecting the 'nanny state', which Mr Johnson said "polices shopping trolleys and institutes exercise regimes".

And he attacked the Conservative policy of following the 'neglectful state' model, accusing David Cameron's party of adopting the stance of a "neglectful state".

"Cameron is following a Tory tradition which would have been familiar to the Fabian progressives of the 20s and 30s, and which was distilled to create pure Thatcherism in the 80s," he added.

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