A FITTER FUTURE FOR ALL: PROGRESS REPORT 2012-2014

Creator:	Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) Northern Ireland
Subject Keywords:	Overweight, Obesity
Set:	Obesity Chronic Conditions
Catalogue:	Research and Evaluation Report
Type:	Report
Region:	Northern Ireland
Description:	This report outlines the progress made during the first two years of the implementation of A Fitter Future for All. It is important to acknowledge that whilst the Framework was launched in March 2012, it took time to put in place mechanisms to oversee the co-ordination of the various delivery partners and to establish the Regional Obesity Prevention Implementation Group, and subsequent Action Plans. The implementation of the Framework has been progressing, and steps are underway for completing many of the short term outcomes within the agreed timeframes - 2012 to 2015. However, we also recognise that we need to continue to prioritise this area and we are not complacent about the challenge ahead.
Date:	03/12/2014
Rights:	DHSSPS
Suggested citation:	Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) Northern Ireland. (2014) A FITTER FUTURE FOR ALL: PROGRESS REPORT 2012-2014 [Online]. Available from: http://www.thehealthwell.info/node/822680 [Accessed: 22nd April 2018]. View your saved citations and reading lists
Contributor:	Department of Health (Northern Ireland) Click here to view all the resources gathered from this organisation's website.

10 April 2018

The overall aim of this EU project was to contribute to halting the rise of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents by 2020. JANPA stands for “Joint Action on Nutrition and Physical Activity”.

Considerable work has been done on the healthcare costs of adult obesity. Impacts of childhood obesity, however, are rarely included in such obesity costing studies. More work was necessary to understand the impacts of childhood obesity as well as exploring non-healthcare (societal) costs in more detail. JANPA Work Package 4 starts to fill this gap by “developing the evidence-based economic rationale for action on childhood obesity”.

The technical objectives of Work Package 4 are:

to describe the lifetime impact and cost of childhood obesity
to assess the benefits of reducing childhood obesity by 1% and 5%.

This was attempted in seven European countries.

Professor Kevin Balanda (kevin.balanda@publichealth.ie) led JANP WP4. The JANPA WP4 costing model was implemented in an adaptation of the UKHF’s existing software.

JANPA WP4 was a very challenging project and its final deliverables are now available. In particular, final figures for Ireland and Northern Ireland are presented in Deliverable D4.6.

JANPA

JANPA WP4

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13 February 2018

The Association for the Study of Obesity on the island of Ireland (ASOI) has successfully changed the word for obesity in the Irish language. ‘Otracht’ was previously the Irish term for obesity. The English translation of ‘otracht’ is critical, negative and derogatory.

“Language is important. The words we choose matter” says Dr Jean O’Connell, Chair of ASOI. “People living with certain stigmatised diseases say that coping with the stigma of the disease is harder than coping with the disease itself. We need to change the way that we talk about overweight and obesity, in every language”.

Niamh Arthurs (Public Health and Clinical Nutritionist, ASOI Education role) addressed this concern with Foras Na Gaeilge. They advised Ms Arthurs to bring the case to the translation section of the Oireachtas in Leinster House. Following discussion, they informed the ASOI that the word ‘murtall’ will be used instead of ‘otracht’ in legislation in Ireland and they will also advise European institutions to use the term ‘murtall’ in future. Foras Na Gaeilge also stated that they would recommend general use of the term ‘murtall’.

'Murtall' the new term for obesity in the Irish Language

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23 February 2017

Eating 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day may give us longer lives, say researchers

The study, by Imperial College London, showed that while eating the recommended five a day still helps reduce the risk of disease, the highest benefits are seen in people who consume 10 portions and calculated such eating habits could prevent 7.8 million premature deaths each year. A portion counts as 80g (3oz) of fruit or veg - the equivalent of a small banana, a pear or three heaped tablespoons of spinach or peas. The team also identified specific fruit and veg that reduced the risk of cancer and heart disease. Lower risks of cancer were linked to eating; green veg (eg spinach); yellow veg (eg peppers), and cruciferous vegetables (eg cauliflower). Lower risks of heart disease and strokes were linked to eating; apples; pears; citrus fruits; salads; green leafy vegetables (eg lettuce) and cruciferous veg.

For more information, click here

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16 February 2017

New research from safefood reveals men and young adults the least able when it comes to food and cooking skills

The research has measured the state of the nation’s food and cooking skills and has found men and young adults had lower levels of confidence and used less food and cooking skills like planning, cooking in batches or using up leftovers. Among those surveyed for the research, keeping basic food cupboard ingredients and sharing cooking responsibilities were viewed as positive ways to encourage more home cooking, however time pressures and "fussy eaters" were identified as barriers to cooking. Amanda McCloat, Head of The Home Economics Department at St. Angela's College, Sligo and Research Contributor commented “What was really evident from the research is how people gained confidence from simply trying out a recipe and how we should be encouraging non-cooks to give it a go.”

To view the press release and access the report, click here

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3 February 2017

Cancer cases among women are rising six times faster than in men, according to new research.

According to Cancer Research UK, unhealthy lifestyles are responsible for the rise in cancer cases among both sexes - but women are bearing the brunt of the increase. Obesity is one of the factors that can increase the risk of cancers that only affect women, such as womb cancer and ovarian cancer. Cervical and oral cancers are also on the rise in women. Smoking rates are now falling across the UK - but lung cancer figures are beginning to reflect women who took up the habit over recent decades. The charity says that cancer rates will continue to climb nearly six times faster in women than men over the next 20 years.

For more information, click here

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31 January 2017

Boys in secondary schools ‘42% fitter than girls’, study suggests

Boys in Irish secondary schools are 42 per cent fitter than girls and the gender gap in fitness levels widens as they get older, a new study of more than 22,000 students suggests. The research for the Irish Life Health Schools Fitness Challenge showing students experienced a significant improvement in their fitness levels after just six weeks of exercise training, with first-year boys (+11 per cent) and fourth-year girls (+14 per cent) showing the biggest improvement levels overall. A report entitled Gender in Sport published by the European Institute of Gender Equality last week said a number of practical barriers to women’s participation in sport still existed.

For more information, click here

To access the report ‘Gender in Sport’, click here

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25 January 2017

Draft Belfast Bicycle Network 2017 - Consultation

The Northern Ireland Minister for Infrastructure is committed to increasing the level of active travel and strongly supports improving health and wellbeing for everyone across the region. In this draft Belfast Bicycle Network consultation document, the Minister sets out his plans to develop a quality bicycle infrastructure for Belfast. The Consultation opened on 23 January 2017. Closing date 13 April 2017 at 17:00.

For more information, click here

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17 January 2017

New report from WHO offers global resource on using the law to improve health

Soda tax in Mexico. Salt limits in South Africa. Plain tobacco packaging in Australia. National health insurance in Ghana. A new report produced by WHO and partners has case studies on how new laws have improved the health and safety of people, providing a resource for countries to learn from positive experiences in other parts of the world.

To view the press release, click here

To access the resource, click here

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10 January 2017

Meeting the physical activity guidelines at the weekend still found to produce significant health benefits

Many busy, working people try to fit in all their exercise at the weekend, becoming ‘weekend warriors’. Researchers from Loughborough University and the University of Sydney analysed data on the time people spent doing exercise and their health over 18 years. The findings are based on a survey of about 64,000 adults aged over 40 in England and Scotland. They found that no matter how often people exercised in a week or for how long, the health benefits were similar as long as they met the activity guidelines (150 minutes of moderate activity per week). Being active without managing the recommended 150 minutes of moderate activity a week was still enough to reduce the risk of an early death by a third.

To access the article, click here

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10 January 2017

Law to protect breastfeeding mothers to be introduced in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Health Minister Michelle O’Neill will bring forward legislation to protect mothers who breastfeed their children in a public place. Breastfeeding rates in the north have remained static over the past number of years. Societal and cultural attitudes are important influencing factors for breastfeeding. The Minister commented: “The reasons why women choose not to breastfeed, or stop breastfeeding, are varied and complex. We need to provide support to mothers and address the negative influences. This legislation will contribute to increasing public tolerance and acceptability of breastfeeding, as part of a range of activities to improve our breastfeeding rates.”

For more information, click here

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