Commenting on yesterday's publication of Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives, the government's cross-departmental strategy for tackling obesity, King's Fund Acting Director of Policy, Anna Dixon said: 'This concerted effort to tackle obesity is a welcome, if overdue, measure. 'The rising level of obesity is a major threat to public health and potentially a huge additional cost to the health service.
Joe Korner, Director of Communications at The Stroke Association commented: "The Stroke Association welcomes the Government's commitment to tackling the obesity epidemic. Being obese or overweight greatly increases the risk of stroke, especially through increases in blood pressure - the highest risk factor for stroke. Over 40% of strokes could be prevented through tackling high blood pressure.
By now, everyone knows that overweight people have a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and other problems that arise from clogged, hardened arteries. And people who carry their extra weight around their waist giving them a "beer belly" or an "apple" shape -- have the highest risk of all. But despite the impact on human health, the reasons behind this connection between heart disease and belly fat also known as visceral fat -- have eluded scientists.
The New York City Board of Health voted yesterday, 22nd January, to make the city's restaurant chains show calorie information on their menus and menu board.The new regulation comes into force on 31st March this year and applies to any chain restaurant in New York City that has 15 or more outlets anywhere in the US. This represents about 10 per cent of the City's restaurants, according to a statement from the health department.
