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News and Opinion

There are stories relating to obesity breaking around the world every day.  The stories below are those where journalists haver sought NOF opnion/quotes or summaries of research on which NOF may have a view.  Where possible the source of the stories are identified by the newspaper banner or a URL in red.

NOF Opinion will always be identified in italics.

Obese spend 50% more time in hospital

Details
Published on Tuesday, 30 August 2011
The Glasgow Herald is reporting research* showing that obese Scots spend an average of 26 days in hospital compared to 17 for someone within the healthy weight range.  The researchers from Edinburgh University trawled through medical records of some 16,000 men and women to examine the link between BMI and hospital stays.  In response to the finding, a Scottish Assembly spokeswoman stated that " the environment we live in means that weight gain becomes almost inevitable " [* Scottish Medical Journal 28th August].  

What an admission!  Perhaps this statement will stop governments blaming obesity on the failure of individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices and start to ensure that their politicians focus on strategies to change the obesogenic environment in which their populations live.  This week's THE LANCET spells out the measures that only governments can take.