WGPlus (Archive)
Obesity tips the scales against a healthy & long life |
The number of children & young people being treated for Type 2 diabetes, a condition often linked to obesity, has rocketed by nearly 50% in just 5 years, new LGA analysis reveals. Latest figures obtained by the LGA, which represents councils in England & Wales, show there were almost 750 cases of those aged under 25 who received care for Type 2 diabetes from Paediatric Diabetes Units in 2017/18. The first cases of Type 2 diabetes in children were diagnosed less than 20 years ago. Councils, which are responsible for public health, says this highlights the urgent need to tackle one of the nation’s biggest health challenges in childhood obesity. This comes ahead of the LGA’s annual childhood obesity conference this week and as the Government prepares to publish its much anticipated prevention Green paper. Type 2 diabetes can lead to a range of serious health problems such as blindness, heart disease, kidney failure and lower limb amputation. Unlike Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 is largely preventable and is closely linked to lifestyle, such as unhealthy eating or lack of exercise. Last year, the LGA revealed that 22,000 children are classed as severely obese – the most overweight scale – when they leave primary school. Councils are calling for the Government to use the upcoming Spending Review to reverse the £700m cuts to their public health funding, which is used to invest in fighting obesity. Specialised support should also be provided for the most seriously obese children, the LGA says. |
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