pratikbharti
Pratik Bharti
Britain is the sickliest nation in Europe. This inference can be drawn from a recent report which revealed that the country has been blighted by record levels of obesity, alcohol abuse and smoking-related deaths.
According to the department of health report, the rate of obesity in British adults is the worst in Europe and, in some areas, are now above the national average of the United States, The Daily Telegraph has reported.
The findings also revealed that almost 900,000 children aged under 11 are obese in Britain -- a 50 per cent increase in the last decade. It also showed England as the only European nation with rising alcohol consumption and an increase in alcohol-related deaths, amongst women.
Other findings included -- Britons drink 11.37 litres of pure alcohol per person compared with an EU average of 10.95 litres; the number of women aged 35 to 54 dying of alcohol abuse has almost doubled in the last 15 years; there are 288 deaths per 100,000 people from smoking-related causes in the UK, compared with an EU average of 263.
"The report shows there's a lot to do in tackling health inequalities. Though we have made good progress in stopping people smoking, I am determined to move further and faster to respond to all these challenges -- with a cross-government drive to tackle obesity, improve diet and activity levels and promote safe and sensible drinking.
"Our ambition is to reverse the rising tide of obesity and overweight in the population, by enabling everyone to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Our initial focus will be on children: By 2020, we aim to reduce the proportion of overweight and obese children to 2000 levels," Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo was quoted as saying.
The 'health profile of England' is based on analysis of national and regional data by the government.
According to the department of health report, the rate of obesity in British adults is the worst in Europe and, in some areas, are now above the national average of the United States, The Daily Telegraph has reported.
The findings also revealed that almost 900,000 children aged under 11 are obese in Britain -- a 50 per cent increase in the last decade. It also showed England as the only European nation with rising alcohol consumption and an increase in alcohol-related deaths, amongst women.
Other findings included -- Britons drink 11.37 litres of pure alcohol per person compared with an EU average of 10.95 litres; the number of women aged 35 to 54 dying of alcohol abuse has almost doubled in the last 15 years; there are 288 deaths per 100,000 people from smoking-related causes in the UK, compared with an EU average of 263.
"The report shows there's a lot to do in tackling health inequalities. Though we have made good progress in stopping people smoking, I am determined to move further and faster to respond to all these challenges -- with a cross-government drive to tackle obesity, improve diet and activity levels and promote safe and sensible drinking.
"Our ambition is to reverse the rising tide of obesity and overweight in the population, by enabling everyone to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Our initial focus will be on children: By 2020, we aim to reduce the proportion of overweight and obese children to 2000 levels," Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo was quoted as saying.
The 'health profile of England' is based on analysis of national and regional data by the government.