OVERVIEW

Britain is facing an obesity epidemic. One in three children are overweight or obese by the age of nine and by 2050 the prevalence of obesity is predicted to affect 60% of adult men, 50% of adult women and 25% of children (Foresight 2007). In October 2011 the government produced a call to action on obesity that aimed to bring together partners from the NHS and wider public sector, food industry and academic research, to work together to encourage healthier lifestyles and reduce the causes of obesity. The aim was for strategies to be locally led and locally focused in order to best support individuals to eat a healthy diet and become more physically active. The consumer group 'Which?' has since been critical having said that many major food companies are still failing to display the calorie content of their products, or reduce the amount of salt in their foods, despite the launch of the public health 'responsibility deal'. There is continuing debate as to the future of food labelling and whether there will be legislative changes that allow consumers to make more informed choices as to the food they buy.

A clear majority of the adult population in England is either overweight or obese (61%) and, according to the Information Centre for Health and Social Care 2011 report, there is also a clear North-South divide. Northern England has a higher obesity prevalence than Southern England and in certain regions in the North of England, prevalence rates are expected to be as high as 70% in 2050 for men aged 20-60. With more than 137,000 adults in Manchester alone expected to be classified as obese by 2015 and as many as 23% of Year 6 children in schools in Manchester and Salford being considered as obese, this is now considered one of the biggest health issues facing frontline practitioners and clinicians.

Figures released in February 2012 reveal the number of weight loss operations has risen by 12% in 2010/11 from the previous year, while hospital admissions for patients whose main diagnosis was obesity have shown a dramatic rise. In April 2012, surgeons, psychiatrists, paediatricians and GPs launched a campaign to battle rising levels of obesity, saying current strategies are not working. The inquiry will look at action that can be taken by individuals, including diet, exercise and parenting, as well as the impact of advertising, food labelling and sponsorship. It will also examine clinical interventions and financial measures, such as taxation and minimum pricing. The first report will be published later in 2012 and will offer recommendations for how the medical profession, individuals, organisations and the government can reduce obesity levels.

At Obesity and Related Conditions: Tackling an Epidemic we will be exploring what action can be taken to combat raising obesity levels and our expert programme of speakers will be examining what really works. The agenda will debate the key issues associated with individual behaviour, government legislation, food production and labelling, physical activity, childhood obesity and medical and financial interventions. A new approach is needed to help to tackle the causes and consequences of excess weight and help support individuals to make healthier lifestyle choices.