As society crumbles in what used to be the center of the world’s greatest empire, childhood obesity rates have exploded in England and Wales, sending thousands children to hospitals for problems such as asthma, diabetes and sleep apnea.
Admissions rocketed to 3,806 youngsters in 2009 from 872 in 2000, a study by Imperial College in London has discovered, with teenage girls accounting for the biggest increase.
“The burden of obesity is usually thought to have its serious consequences in adulthood, but we now see it manifesting earlier, in childhood,” said Dr Sonia Saxena from Imperial’s School of Public Health, who led the study.
“It’s important that doctors speak to patients about their weight, because any attempt to help their patients must begin by recognising the problem.”
Over the last decade, a total of 20,885 young people aged between five and 19 received hospital treatment for conditions linked to obesity.
The rise of obesity in the UK has apparently happened very rapidly, over only a decade. While obesity is linked to health problems, I wonder why people don’t often mention the quality of life factor as well. Surely it must be far less enjoyable to live in a country where a large proportion of young women are too fat to be attractive.
I think this may partly explain why British men are so fond of vacationing in Spain and Eastern Europe.
