Obesity costs Notts £166m a year
HEALTH figures show that obese and overweight people in Notts are costing the NHS £166.8m a year.
Last week the Evening Post reported that people in Nottingham city with diseases related to being overweight were costing the NHS £85m.
The new figures from the Department of Health show that the cost of obesity is hitting the county as well as the city.
A new Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives toolkit is being used by NHS Notts County to tackle the problem.
The toolkit states some of the issues surrounding obesity, such as the fact that just 11.5% of parents with overweight or obese children recognise the problem and only 38% of adults know that obesity can lead to heart disease.
Dr Chris Kenny, director of public health at NHS Notts County, said: "Obesity is the biggest health challenge we face and is one of our top priorities to tackle.
"We are working closely with local authorities, schools and community partners."
5 Comments
by jim, scroungers bench ,Ilkeston
Monday, October 13 2008, 7:53PM
“its to late Gemma the pots nearly empty - and by the way i stopped smoking and drinking eating just a bit harder”
by Mark, Carlton
Monday, October 13 2008, 1:23PM
“I am pretty sure Alchol related illnesses costs the NHS more than any other self inflicted diseases, even more than smoking.”
by Sal, Nottm
Monday, October 13 2008, 12:41PM
“How great would that be. Phone into work saying: I can't come in today because i'm still eating breakfast and then i'll be on my lunch break and before you know it, it's dinner time. I can't stop eating so I can't come to work - Sorry!”
by Claire, Calvo
Monday, October 13 2008, 12:09PM
“Alcoholism and anorexia also stem from mental and emotional issues, and FYI, alcohol costs the NHS £23.6m, even the effect of it on the police etc due to alcohol related crime and violence is £71m, both of which don't add up to what obesity costs the NHS alone. A considerably smaller amount of money, don't you think? Just 'loving food' is not a valid excuse for being morbidly overweight! I love food too, but the difference is I balance a healthy appetite with exercise! And whilst I agree there are enough scroungers also eating away the funds, working for the local government I know a lot of those same scroungers are overweight and claiming all sorts of disability allowances for conditions caused by being obese in the first place. Most of the cases of obesity I see don't work because they're too big and their mobility is poor, therefore they are not working and not paying into the NHS which is treating them.
Ok, I need to stop now before I start comfort eating to ease the pain and anger and end up too fat to work anymore...”
by Gemma, nottingham
Monday, October 13 2008, 10:13AM
“How much does Anorexia cost us & alcohol abuse???? Why is it always larger people who get the abuse off the media?! Don't segregate us from the rest of society - being obese is due to mental issues, lack of eating, not caring for oneself properly & some people just love food - it's no different to other other main causes ofr national health being in debt - try all the families allowed to live here that, that have never paid in to the state - (the governments fault not the people allowed to be here)???”