Obesity level warning

A Leeds based exercise group is holding a special free class for people who feel they are too unfit to take part in group sport.

British Military Fitness at Roundhay Park is holding the Saturday morning sessions following reports that one in five people feel they are too unfit to play sport or exercise with other people.

Managing director of BMF, Harry Sowerby said the group understood how intimidating starting an exercise regime can be with a drop out rate of those starting one alone standing at around 43 per cent. However training in a group environment takes the frop out figure down to around 6 per cent.

“You don’t need to be super-fit to join our ranks,” he said. “BMF is all about people coming together and having fun, whilst at the same time getting fit and improving their lifestyles.”

There is growing concern over the issue of obesity, junk food and sedentary lifestyles especially in children. The Obesity Health Alliance which is made up of organisations including the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Cancer Research UK and the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation, has issued a report warning of the “worrying trend” in rising obesity levels.

Its report suggests more than 7.6 million new cases of disease such as diabetes, cancer, stroke and heart disease linked to being overweight or obese will be diagnosed in the UK during the next 20 years.

This includes 4.62 million cases of Type 2 diabetes, 1.63 million cases of coronary heart disease, 680,000 cases of stroke and 670,000 new cases of cancer.

At the moment, three out of 10 adults are obese, but this is set to rise to around four in 10 by 2035. In that year, it is predicted around 45 per cent of adults in the lowest income bracket will be obese.

The alliance is calling on the Government to publish its delayed childhood obesity strategy, as soon as possible

Alison Cox, Cancer Research UK’s director of prevention and alliance member said: “Kids are bombarded with advertisements for unhealthy food and if we are to give our children the chance for better and healthier lives, it’s vital the Government’s childhood obesity strategy restricts this kind of marketing.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: “This is exactly why we are seeting out our comprehensive childhood obesity strategy shortly.”