Tackling Child Obesity - First Steps

Obesity is a complex public health issue that is a growing threat to children۪s health, as well as a current and future drain on National Health Service (NHS) resources. The Wanless Report stated that public health the promotion of good health and the prevention of disease should be central to the work of the NHS.2 Obesity already costs the NHS directly around 1 billion a year and the UK economy a further 2.3 to 2.6 billion in indirect costs. If this present trend continues, by 2010 the annual cost to the economy could be 3.6 billion a year. This joint report from the Audit Commission, Healthcare Commission and the National Audit Office aims to identify how the barriers to creating a successful delivery chain can be addressed and makes recommendations about how the delivery chain might be strengthened and made more efficient as part of the need for the Departments to contribute to the Government۪s wider efficiency programme.