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.
