ARGUS COMMENT: Obesity the new enemy (From South Wales Argus)

ARGUS COMMENT: Obesity the new enemy

2:47pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in Gwent news

FEW would have predicted decades ago that the modern disease which would be causing so many problems for our NHS today would be obesity.

Developments in medical care have come such a long way to tackling what were previously major health concerns, only to be overtaken by this new epidemic.

Obesity currently costs the NHS £5bn a year. This is a major problem, but what is vital is that treatment is now available to help people whose lives are blighted by obesity to tackle what is a life-threatening and restrictive condition.

Prevention would be the best option but treatment must also be widely available.

It is important also to realise that obesity is not caused by one problem and therefore solutions may often have to differ.

As Pam Bland, who we are featuring on our centre pages today, shows it is not just diet, but exercise, emotion and mindset that all play a part.

We are lucky in Gwent that we are home to Wales’ only NHS consultant-led specialist weight management clinic.

This is a service which is second to none and which should be mirrored across Wales. And there needs to be a co-ordinated approach across many government departments.

Yes, that will take money, but if we don’t invest in treatment now then the cost to the NHS will be even greater.