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The government has launched a new campaign to urge the middle-aged to lose weight and get healthy, in the second stage of a drive to curb obesity rates.
The Swap it Don't Stop it part of the Change4life campaign says people do not have to give up the things they love, targeting the 45-65 age bracket.
Instead it suggests 'swaps' like swapping watching a favourite sport on television for taking part, including 'dance swap' which encourages people get up and dance to the radio rather than sitting back and watching dancing on their screens.
And to reduce the amount of food consumed, the campaign suggests increasing fibre intake by choosing brown rice over white, or swapping bigger plates for smaller ones to choose smaller portions of food.
The campaign has previously faced criticism, but the government says one million families have sought to change their families' lifestyles over the past year.
Data released today also shows obesity prevalence in children is levelling out.
Television and poster adverts will air from Saturday supporting the new campaign.
Health secretary Andy Burnham said the Change4Life campaign has "surpassed all targets" for the first year.
"We are beginning to see the positive impact on families as they start to adopt healthier lifestyles," he said.
"The beauty of the campaign is that it motivates everyone to get involved right down to local communities."
Meanwhile, a study published today suggests eight out of ten men and almost seven in ten women will be overweight by 2020.
The study by Oxford University professor Klim McPherson finds that while data shows childhood obesity may be leveling off, adult obesity is expected to rise.
Article Comments
Am I alone in being fed up to the teeth of Govt. health warnings? We're constantly bombarded with adverts telling us what might be wrong with us. What a waste of money! Anne.
An ne
15th Mar 2010 at 5:23 pm
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