Add My Support Launches The Fight Against Obesity Campaign

Online, August 24, 2012 (Newswire.com) - An independent campaign to change people's behavior to reduce the impact and risk of obesity in the UK has launched today. The campaign is asking for individuals and organisations to join together in the fight against obesity.

Almost a quarter of adults in the UK are thought to be obese. Around three in ten children are classed as either overweight or obese. Some experts predict half of UK children could be obese or overweight by 2020.

The first stage of the fight against obesity campaign aims to involve organisations and show what they are doing in the fight against obesity. Organisations taking part can get advice from other companies and experts that have recently implemented anti-obesity programs.

Obesity and being overweight are serious public health problems that can be measured using the Body Mass Index (BMI). Obesity is defined as a BMI over 30.

The Fight Against Obesity Campaign is an independent, user-led obesity campaign and as part of this approach the campaign team is appealing for messages of support and suggestions from individuals who want to be involved in making a difference to improve obesity levels in the UK.

Preventing obesity in adults is vitally important to prevent a rise in serious medical conditions including diabetes or joint replacements. The long term cost of treating conditions related to obesity adds significantly to the direct medical cost of procedures, such as gastric band operations, that are already costing the NHS over £50million per year.

Finding successful ways to tackle childhood obesity is essential to prevent huge medical and financial problems in the future.

More information about the campaign can be found at http://www.addmysupport.com/fightobesity

Additional Information

Statistics from "Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England, 2012" - http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/obesity/statistics-on-obesity-physical-activity-and-diet-england-2012