Obesity a timebomb
Dec 8 2006 By Chloe Griffiths, The Journal
Health experts are warning of an "obesity timebomb" after parts of Northumberland were ranked some of the unhealthiest in the North.
Sport England has carried out the most extensive survey into exercise ever undertaken in Europe, but figures released yesterday showed people living in parts of Northumberland are well below the national average for activity.
While those living in Alnwick are some of the healthiest in the region, with 25.9% participating in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity three times a week, just 19.3% of people in Wansbeck are doing the same.
However, the most exercise-shy in the whole of the North-East are Prime Minister Tony Blair's constituents in Sedgefield, County Durham, where just 16.8% exercise regularly.
The national average now stands at 21%, but health experts have warned this is not good enough.
Dietician Dr Amelia Lake, of Newcastle University, warned of an "obesity timebomb" and insisted exercise was falling short across the country.
She said: "With so many complications both physically and psychologically, obesity is a time bomb. We are already seeing the repercussions with an increase in diabetes, but there are lots and lots of short and long term consequences. I am not surprised the North-East is below the average, especially when you look at our obesity rates, which are quite high."
But yesterday, Sport England's North-East interim director Ian Gardiner insisted the region was rapidly improving. He emphasised that among the regions the North-East ranked sixth out of nine - a big improvement on nine years ago when a major survey planted the region firmly as the country's laziest.
He said: "This survey is one piece of a jigsaw and provides an unprecedented picture of activity and inactivity in England. Knowing the scale of the challenge is the first step to putting it right."
Leaders of Alnwick District Council have welcomed the findings of the study, saying it showed the efforts the authority had put into improving and maintaining recreational facilities.
Council leader Coun Heather Cairns said: "As someone who was professionally involved in teaching sport and sailing, I know how physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and this is something we as a council are keen to encourage.
"One of our key goals is to promote a healthy community and one of our priorities is to support the provision of sports activities and facilities in the district. These facilities are making healthy activities more accessible to more people."
She highlighted the importance of the completion of Willowburn Sports and Leisure Centre and the provision of swimming pools at Amble and Rothbury.
Castle Morpeth was ranked fourth in the region, with 24.2% of people exercising regularly, although Berwick borough came in below the national average with just 19.8% consistently partaking.
Sport England's study was 20 times larger than the last major survey of sport, the General Household Survey in 2002, with 1,000 people in each council area questioned. No-one was available for comment at Wansbeck District Council.
