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Obesity Admissions to Hospital Rocket 41% in Five Years
August 4, 2003 12:01 AM
Liberal Democrat Spokesman on Health and Member of the House of Commons Health Select Committee Paul Burstow MP today revealed new figures showing that the number of diagnosed cases of obesity admitted to hospital has rocketed by 41% in the last five years.
The figures revealed in a Parliamentary answer shows that in 1997/98, 810 people across England were diagnosed as clinically obese. By 2001/02 this had increased to 1,148. The biggest increases in the last 5 years were:
• 90% increase in the North West
• 68% increase in London
• 59% increase in the North and Yorkshire
Paul Burstow MP said:
"The epidemic of obesity that is spreading across the country is costing the lives of countless individuals and costing the NHS millions. The scale of the problem has been underplayed by Ministers who are failing to appreciate just what damage it is doing the health of our nation.
"Without a coherent approach to tackling obesity England will soon end up the overweight capital of Europe. Lack of exercise combined with a diet of fast food is leading to adults and children unable to enjoy a decent quality of life. What was once a sign of affluence is becoming an increasing sign of poverty. It is time the Government adopted a cross cutting approach to tackling this lifestyle disease.
"Lifestyle changes are a far more important step that can be taking in ensuring that Britain does not become inactive, overweight, and increasingly reliant on drugs to literally reduce the size of this problem."
Ends
Notes to editors
• Mr Burstow is on the Health Select Committee that is currently investigating obesity.
• The figures were revealed in Parliamentary answer 126347 published on the 17th July 2003
Mr Paul Burstow
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultant episodes relating to obesity there were in each region in each year since 1997.
Miss Johnson
Information on the number of finished consultant episodes by region in NHS hospitals for the five years since 1997, where obesity is the primary diagnosis is shown in the table
Region 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 Total 97 - 2002 %age increase 97 - 2002
Northern & Yorkshire 237 287 352 379 377 1632 59.07
Trent 117 144 147 151 95 654 -18.8
Anglia & Oxford (Eastern) 40 64 35 46 51 236 27.5
North Thames (London) 136 141 221 287 229 1014 68.38
South Thames (South East) 68 86 83 54 88 379 29.41
South West 77 115 53 58 75 378 -2.59
West Midlands 43 91 51 57 58 300 34.88
North West 92 146 144 171 175 728 90.21
Total 810 1074 1086 1203 1148 5321 41.72
A finished consultant episode ( FCE ) is defined as a period of healthcare under one consultant in one hospital provider .
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