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Cancer jab 'unlikely' death cause
A girl who died shortly after being given a cervical cancer vaccine had a "serious underlying medical condition", an NHS Trust has said. NHS Coventry said the vaccination was "most unlikely to have caused the death" of Natalie Morton, 14. She was given the Cervarix jab at Coventry's Blue Coat School on Monday and fell ill a few hours later. The government said its national cervical cancer immunisation programme should continue.
Dr Caron Grainger, joint director of public health for NHS Coventry and Coventry City Council, said the results of a preliminary post-mortem examination had "revealed a serious underlying medical condition which was likely to have caused death." "We are awaiting further test results which will take some time," she said. "However indications are that it was most unlikely that the HPV vaccination was the cause of death." The injection - part of a national immunisation programme - protects against the human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease linked to most cervical cancers.
'Easy-going child'
The Department of Health has ordered the batch of vaccine to be quarantined as a precaution, but insists there is no reason to stop the programme. Public health minister Gillian Merron said: "We hope that girls continue to protect themselves against cervical cancer by having this vaccine." Christine Beasley, the chief nursing officer, said: "My message to parents and to the young girls themselves is this a vaccination which will prevent you getting cervical cancer, which is a horrible disease, even if it is treated, and is often life-threatening."
Meanwhile, the vaccine manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, announced it was recalling the batch - AHPVA043BB - for testing. The Department of Health said it was working with the NHS and regulatory bodies to thoroughly investigate Natalie Morton's case. A department spokesman said: "No link can be made between the death and the vaccine until all the facts are known. "Results of tests on the batch of vaccine will be announced as soon as they are known. "The HPV vaccination programme can continue as planned - there is no reason for the campaign to be suspended or interrupted."
He added that minor delays might occur in the next day or so while some areas awaited fresh supplies of HPV vaccine to replace quarantined stock. NHS Coventry has not suspended its HPV programme but has decided to reschedule catch-up clinics planned for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Natalie's death has left schoolmates and staff shocked and saddened, headteacher Dr Julie Roberts said. She described Natalie as a "happy, easy-going child who worked hard".
A routine programme of vaccinating 12- and 13-year-old girls started in September 2008 using the Cervarix vaccine. A catch-up campaign is now under way for older girls. It is thought about a million girls have already safely received the jab. More than 1.4 million doses have been given out, of which there have been 4,657 suspected reactions reported, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
There are more than 100 types of HPV but only 13 of them are known to cause cancer.
Cervarix, licensed for use in Europe since September 2007, protects against two strains of HPV that cause more than 70% of cervical cancer cases. In the UK, about 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and about 1,000 die from it. Vaccination is not compulsory and consent is required before it is administered to the under-16s. Parents or young people concerned about the safety of any vaccine are being advised to speak to their GP, visit www.nhs.uk or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
Copyright BBC Health News – Wednesday 30th September 2009
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8281673.stm
Children's ?288m health park plan
A plan to create the UK's first £288m children's health park at Liverpool's Alder Hey hospital is being submitted. The proposals for the project are being put forward to Monitor, the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts. If approval is given, work could start in 2012 and be completed by 2014 - in time for the Merseyside hospital's 100th anniversary. Liverpool City Council has granted planning permission for the hospital to be built in Springfield Park.
Florence Nightingale
Under the plans, most of the existing Edwardian hospital buildings will be demolished and rebuilt on the parkland. Monitor is expected to rule on the business plan within weeks. If it supports the proposals, government backing will be sought. Richard Glenn, Alder Hey's project director, said: "Alder Hey was built almost a century ago as a state-of-the-art children's hospital, based on the principles of Florence Nightingale. Since then it has been a pioneering hospital with a world-renowned reputation. "Most of our buildings are no longer fit for purpose and we desperately need a new hospital to reflect expectations and needs in the 21st Century. We have an incredibly dedicated and passionate staff at Alder Hey and it is because of them we cope with the current inadequate facilities."
Mr. Glenn said the patient growth rate over the last few years indicated the number of children attending the hospital could increase to about 375,000 by 2015. The first stage of work will include new inpatient and acute services accommodation, new facilities for radiology, pathology, operating theatres, PICU (Paediatric Intensive Care Unit), day surgery and day procedures. There will be a new 1,000-space multi-storey car park and a park to provide exercise, space for families, staff and the local community. Future plans include developing education and research facilities with the University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moore University and Edge Hill University.
Copyright BBC Health News – Wednesday 30th September 2009
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8282129.stm
Medics 'flout' community care law
The government seriously underestimated the number of psychiatric patients who would need to be forced to take medication, the BBC has learned. It predicted 300 community treatment orders in the first year but 10 times as many applications have been made. Psychiatrists told BBC File on 4 this had left them having to "bend the rules" when unable to get signatures of two doctors that are needed on orders. But a minister responded that CTOs were making a difference to people's lives.
In the first 10 months since CTOs came into force in 2008, 3,777 applications have been made, according to the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of social care in Britain. Under a CTO, severely ill patients must take their medication or face being returned to a psychiatric unit. Two doctors should sign the order but psychiatrists claim the huge volume of CTOs makes this difficult. CTOs came into effect under amendments to the 2007 Mental Health Act which gave psychiatrists the power to send a patient straight back to hospital if they refused to take their medication.
Doctors' dilemma
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Tony Zigmond, of the Newsam Centre at Seacroft Hospital, Leeds, told BBC File on 4 the second opinion system had major problems. "This is partly because of the very large number of CTOs that have been put in place - far greater than the government predicted - and partly because it has proven very difficult for second opinion doctors to see the patient," he said. Dr Zigmond added: "One of the problems has been the recruitment of second opinion doctors - there are just not enough of them." The Care Quality Commission, which said the government under-estimate had put a strain on services, has advised doctors to invoke a clause in the 2007 act which allows CTOs to continue without a second opinion.
The law states that this get-out clause should apply in an emergency where treatment is "immediately necessary" to save a patient's life, prevent a serious deterioration of their condition, alleviate serious suffering or stop them behaving violently. But Dr Zigmond said these conditions did not apply in the regular administration of CTOs, putting psychiatrists in an impossible position and leaving them torn between breaking the law or leaving their patients unmedicated. "That's why it is such an unsatisfactory position - one either puts the patient and perhaps others at risk by not giving treatment or one gives treatment and is perhaps breaking the law. The vast majority continue to medicate even if that is bending or breaking the law."
'Advice ignored'
Another psychiatrist, who did not want to be named, told File on 4: "The sheer numbers of CTOs in place have overwhelmed the service. The Department of Health made a serious miscalculation. "Some of my patients have not been seen by a second opinion doctor even after three months of being on a CTO." Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity Sane, said: "It's a pity that what set out to be a provision to help patients to be treated in the community should have been so ill-prepared. "We fear that the shortage of psychiatrists may affect the number of people who could otherwise benefit and potentially compromise the protective safeguards written in the new Mental Health Act."
Tom Burns, professor of social psychiatry at Oxford University, who advised the government on CTOs, said the politicians ignored advice and were too ambitious in their implementation of the policy. "This is a perfect example where some preliminary legislation might have made it possible to introduce a pilot scheme to run three or four years." Care services minister Phil Hope said: "I would share a concern that delays in providing second opinions is unsatisfactory. I think its important that the Care Quality Commission works further to put that right." But he added: "Community treatment orders do offer an important new legal framework to help professionals ensure that patients get the treatment they need. It's an important new development that's making a real difference to people's lives."
Copyright BBC Health News – Tuesday 29th September 2009
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8278581.stm
Stopping cancer having the last word
When actress Elle Seivwright remembers her father Andrew she can chuckle. Her father died three years ago from lymphoma, but she prefers not to dwell on the illness that claimed his life, but rather to focus on his life itself. So when she was approached by a cancer charity compiling a video archive of happy memories she was only to happy to contribute. "I thought it was a good way of advertising a charity rather than somebody in a bed looking all sorrowful with a number coming up underneath it.
Funny tale
"I told a daft story about my father cutting the grass. He was quite vain about his appearance and his clothes and when he cut the grass he always looked dead smart. Obviously his illness was horrible, but I like to have him immortalised in a positive way. He cut the grass while smoking a cigarette and looking like James Bond. It was quite a big lawn and he was out there for ages."
But she said that one day it had gone very wrong. "It was a big petrol lawn-mower and it ran away from him and he went round and round in circles chasing it, Benny Hill style. "It is a positive way to remember him. Obviously his illness was horrible, but I like to have him immortalised in a positive way."
The Association for International Cancer Research (AICR) is collating the positive clips for its campaign "Don't let cancer have the last word". The idea of the archive is to create positive memories, which can be accessed by everyone through their website, which might help grieving relatives remember their loved ones in a positive light. "When we lose someone to cancer we lose many things but their quirky little sayings, stories or jokes stay with us and help to keep their memory alive," said a spokeswoman.
Dr Mark Matfield, scientific adviser at the charity, agreed. "It is obviously a very positive thing for all the family and friends who have died from cancer to focus on a positive memory because watching someone die from cancer can be very difficult and traumatic and tends to imprint itself on your memory," he said.
'Make me smile'
"This campaign in many ways offers the opportunity to have a positive memory of them. One of my roles with the charity is to deal with e-mails, letters and telephone calls re medical questions and although the person's husband, wife, child may have died years ago they still find it an incredibly traumatic thing. The death of someone from cancer can strike people very hard indeed and they are focusing on the death, but I suppose what you should be focusing on is the life of the person, because they have a life like everyone else."
He said this positive spin could even have a health benefit. "This is not really something anyone has done before so nobody knows whether it will have a measurable positive effect," he said. “What you should be focusing on is the life of the person, because they have a life like everyone else. We just think it is a good way of focusing on cancer as an issue and giving someone who has lost somebody to cancer the chance to think about them more positively."
Elle, from Prestwick, said her father had been a positive person, so it was good to remember him in a positive light. "He had a good life and even when he was ill he never complained. I just can't remember him complaining once," she said. "He just accepted it and dealt with it, which is in a way positive. "I bought into that. We did not go around singing and dancing, but I was not melancholic around him.”
“Privately I was obviously very upset, but when I was around him I did not want to reinforce the fact that he had something that was going to make him die. So I was not overly upbeat, but was quite positive around him."
Copyright BBC Health News – Monday 28th September 2009
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8248959.stm
Medics 'flout' community care law
The government seriously underestimated the number of psychiatric patients who would need to be forced to take medication, the BBC has learned. It predicted 300 community treatment orders (CTOs) in the first year but 10 times as many applications have been made. Psychiatrists told BBC File on 4 this had left them having to "bend the rules" when unable to get signatures of two doctors that are needed on orders. But a minister responded that CTOs were making a difference to people's lives.
In the first 10 months since CTOs came into force in 2008, 3,777 applications have been made, according to the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of social care in Britain. Under a CTO, severely ill patients must take their medication or face being returned to a psychiatric unit. Two doctors should sign the order but psychiatrists claim the huge volume of CTOs makes this difficult. CTOs came into effect under amendments to the 2007 Mental Health Act which gave psychiatrists the power to send a patient straight back to hospital if they refused to take their medication.
Doctors' dilemma
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Tony Zigmond, of the Newsam Centre at Seacroft Hospital, Leeds, told BBC File on 4 the second opinion system had major problems. "This is partly because of the very large number of CTOs that have been put in place - far greater than the government predicted - and partly because it has proven very difficult for second opinion doctors to see the patient," he said. Dr Zigmond added: "One of the problems has been the recruitment of second opinion doctors - there are just not enough of them."
The Care Quality Commission, which said the government under-estimate had put a strain on services, has advised doctors to invoke a clause in the 2007 act which allows CTOs to continue without a second opinion. The law states that this get-out clause should apply in an emergency where treatment is "immediately necessary" to save a patient's life, prevent a serious deterioration of their condition, alleviate serious suffering or stop them behaving violently.
But Dr Zigmond said these conditions did not apply in the regular administration of CTOs, putting psychiatrists in an impossible position and leaving them torn between breaking the law or leaving their patients unmedicated. "That's why it is such an unsatisfactory position - one either puts the patient and perhaps others at risk by not giving treatment or one gives treatment and is perhaps breaking the law. "The vast majority continue to medicate even if that is bending or breaking the law."
'Advice ignored'
Another psychiatrist, who did not want to be named, told File on 4: "The sheer numbers of CTOs in place have overwhelmed the service. The Department of Health made a serious miscalculation. "Some of my patients have not been seen by a second opinion doctor even after three months of being on a CTO."
Tom Burns, professor of social psychiatry at Oxford University, who advised the government on CTOs, said the politicians ignored advice and were too ambitious in their implementation of the policy. "This is a perfect example where some preliminary legislation might have made it possible to introduce a pilot scheme to run three or four years."
Care services minister Phil Hope said: "I would share a concern that delays in providing second opinions is unsatisfactory. I think its important that the Care Quality Commission works further to put that right." But he added: "Community treatment orders do offer an important new legal framework to help professionals ensure that patients get the treatment they need. It's an important new development that's making a real difference to people's lives."
Copyright BBC Health News – Tuesday 29th September 2009
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8278581.stm
Working mums' children 'less fit'
Children whose mothers work are less likely to lead healthy lives than those with "stay at home" mums, a study says. The Institute of Child Health study of more than 12,500 five-year-olds found those with working mothers less active and more likely to eat unhealthy food. Other experts said more work was needed to see if the results applied to other age groups. The study is in the Journal of Epidemiology and Child Health. About 60% of mothers with children aged up to five are estimated to be in work.
Results
The mothers were asked about the hours they worked and their children's diet, exercise levels and sedentary activities. A third of the mothers had not worked since the birth of their child, but the mothers who were employed were spending an average of 21 hours a week at work. They took into account factors likely to influence the results, such as the mothers' level of education and socioeconomic circumstances. They found that five-year-olds whose mothers worked part-time or full-time were more likely to primarily consume sweetened drinks between meals.
They used their computers or watched television for at least two hours a day compared to the children of "stay at home" mums who spent less than two hours on these activities. They were also more likely to be driven to school compared to the children of "stay at home" mothers who tended to walk or cycle. The children whose mothers had a flexible working pattern did have healthier lifestyles but when other factors were taken into account the researchers said there was little evidence that these children behaved more healthily.
'Time constraints'
Professor Catherine Law, who led the study said: "For many families the only parent or both parents will be working. "Time constraints may limit parents' capacity to provide their children with healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity. "Our results do not imply that mothers should not work. Rather they highlight the need for policies and programmes to help support parents." The same children took part in an earlier study by the Institute of Child Health (ICH) which found that those with working mothers were more likely to be obese or overweight by the age of three.
In the latest study, many of the five-year-olds were engaging in health behaviours likely to promote excess weight gain: 37% were mainly eating crisps and sweets between meals, 41% were consuming sweetened drinks and 61% used the television or a computer at least two hours daily.
'Controversial research'
Glenys Jones, nutritionist with the Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research, said the study was interesting because of limited research so far on the impact of maternal employment on child health choices. "More work is needed to take into account factors such as how related health behaviours are affected and if the age of the child alters the relationships observed." Sally Russell, a spokesman for Netmums, said: "The stress and guilt associated with being a working mum is something we are all too well aware of. This report adds to that guilt. With many more mums having no choice but to work these days and with government policy actively encouraging it, it is difficult to know how mums can do better. "
A Department of Health spokesman said: "Our Change4Life movement is already helping over 370,000 families eat well, move more and live longer by helping them to understand the harm that fat and added sugar can cause to children's health, and offering them simple yet effective ways to make changes to their diet and increase their activity levels."
Copyright BBC Health News – Monday 28th September 2009
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8278742.stm
Schoolgirl dies after cancer jab
A 14-year-old girl has died after being given a cervical cancer jab as part of a national immunisation programme, but the exact cause of death is unknown. The pupil was taken ill at Blue Coat C of E School in Coventry shortly after she received the Cervarix vaccine. She died in the town's University Hospital. The batch of the vaccine used has been quarantined by the local NHS.
The injection offers protection against a sexually transmitted disease, which is linked to most cervical cancers. A routine programme of vaccinating 12- and 13-year-old girls started in September 2008 across the UK using the Cervarix vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline. A catch-up campaign is now under way for older girls. The injection offers protection against the human papilloma virus (HPV), the most common cause of cervical cancer.
'Urgent investigation'
The girl, who has not yet been named, died at lunchtime on Monday. Dr Caron Grainger, joint director of public health for NHS Coventry and Coventry City Council, said their sympathies are with the girl's family and friends. She said: "The incident happened shortly after the girl had received her HPV vaccine in the school. No link can be made between the death and the vaccine until all the facts are known and a post-mortem takes place. We are conducting an urgent and full investigation into the events surrounding this tragedy." A small number of girls at the school had also reported mild symptoms such as dizziness and nausea but they were not admitted to hospital.
In a statement posted on the school's website, head teacher Dr Julie Roberts said during the immunisation, "one of the girls suffered a rare, but extreme reaction to the vaccine. A number of other girls also reported being unwell and some were sent home," she said. "If your daughter has received a vaccine today we ask that you are extra vigilant regarding any signs or symptoms." She listed possible reactions as mild to moderate short-lasting pain at the injection site, headache, muscle pain, fatigue and a low-grade fever.
'Tragic death'
It is thought about a million girls have already safely received the vaccine. When the national immunisation project was announced, there was some controversy about the selection of Cervarix over Gardasil, which is used by the majority of vaccination programmes worldwide. Dr Pim Kon, medical director at GlaxoSmithKline UK, which makes Cervarix, said: "Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of the young girl. We are working with the Department of Health and MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) to better understand this case, as at this stage the exact cause of this tragic death is unknown." The global pharmaceutical company added that the vast majority of suspected adverse reactions have related either to the symptoms of recognised side effects or were due to the injection process and not the vaccine itself.
Different vaccine
Public health minister Gillian Merron said: "Our deepest sympathies are with the family. It is important we have the results of further investigations as soon as possible to establish the cause of this sad event." In the UK, about 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and about 1,000 die from it. The department said Cervarix had a strong safety record.
Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said the tragedy needed to be investigated "as a matter of urgency". He said: "This again raises the question which we have asked for some time, as to why the government won't publish the assessments it made of the relative merits of the two HPV vaccines and why we therefore use a different vaccine to most other comparable countries."
There are more than 100 types of HPV but only 13 of them are known to cause cancer. Cervarix protects against two strains of HPV that cause more than 70% of cases of cervical cancer in women. Vaccination is not compulsory and consent is required before it is administered to the under-16s.
Copyright BBC Health News – Monday 28th September 2009
School stars 'enjoy good health'
Children who impress their peers at school tend to go on to enjoy better health as adults, research suggests. The study was based on a 30-year follow-up of more than 14,000 children born in Sweden in 1953. The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health study found the least popular children had a nine times higher risk of ischaemic heart disease. They were also more at risk of diabetes, drug, alcohol and mental health problems. The degree of popularity, power and status enjoyed by each child was assessed when the children reached sixth grade in 1966 by asking them who they most preferred to work with at school.
Individual children were categorised into five status bands depending on how many nominations they received. The researchers then matched up this data against information on hospital admissions between 1973 and 2003. For both men and women, the children who were furthest down the pecking order at school had the highest overall risk of serious health problems as an adult. For instance, they were more than four times as likely to require hospital treatment for hormonal, nutritional and metabolic diseases as the most popular children. And their risk of mental health problems was more than doubled. The researchers said the findings could not be explained by social class.
Negative self-image
Lead researcher Ylva Almquist, from the Centre for Health Equity Studies at the University of Stockholm, said children with a low status might lack social support, and be starved of information. This could lead to a more negative self-image, which could lead to lower expectations, stunted ambition - and poor choices in life. "For example, children in lower peer status positions may adopt a more health-damaging lifestyle, including behaviours such as heavy smoking and drinking. These behaviours are known to be major risk factors for heart diseases."
Ms Almquist said it was possible that some children's popularity was a result of poor health, but the effect found in the study was too broad for this to be the only factor. She said the study suggested that schools should work to foster social equality in the classroom, and to boost children's self-image. Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the UK Faculty of Public Health, said: "Children who feel undervalued or are bullied at school often grow up lacking self-confidence. They then seek comfort in over-eating, smoking or drinking to excess, and all too often find themselves on the slippery slope to chronic ill-health. It is crucial to do whatever we can to help children and young people feel valued."
Copyright BBC Health News Monday 28th September 2009
Negative subliminal messages work
People can perceive subliminal messages, particularly if the message is negative, according to a UK study. In three experiments at University College London, participants were briefly shown masked words and asked to classify them as emotional or neutral. The study, published in the journal Emotion, says being able to react to tiny cues helps us to avoid danger and may have useful marketing uses. But critics say there is no evidence this would work outside a laboratory.
Professor Nilli Lavie from University College London showed 50 participants a series of words on a computer screen. Each word appeared on-screen for only a fraction of a second - much too fast for the participants to consciously read the word. The words were either positive (eg cheerful, flower, peace), negative (eg agony, despair, murder) or neutral (eg box, ear, kettle). After each word, the participants had to choose whether the word was neutral or emotional (positive or negative) and how confident they were of their decision.
The researchers found that the participants answered most accurately when responding to negative words, even when they believed they were merely guessing the answer. They were able to accurately categorise 66% of the negative words compared to 50% of the positive ones.
'Evolutionary advantages'
Professor Lavie said: "We have shown that people can perceive the emotional value of subliminal messages and have demonstrated conclusively that people are much more attuned to negative words. Clearly, there are evolutionary advantages to responding rapidly to emotional information. We can't wait for our consciousness to kick in if we see someone running towards us with a knife or if we drive under rainy or foggy weather conditions and see a 'danger' warning sign.”
But Professor Lavie said her work could be applicable to marketing campaigns: "Negative words may have more of a rapid impact - "Kill Your Speed" should work better than "Slow Down". "More controversially, a competitor's negative qualities may work on a subconscious level much more effectively than shouting about your own selling points."
But marketing psychologist, Paul Buckley, of the Cardiff School of Management, said there was no evidence that subliminal messages works in the real world: "From a practical point of view this probably doesn't reflect what would happen in real life. Certainly lots of countries around the world have legislation to ban subliminal messages being used on television and nobody has yet been able to point to any instance where a subliminal message has worked."
A SUBLIMINAL HISTORY
· In 1957 market researcher James Vicary claimed that flashing messages on a movie screen in New Jersey had made people purchase more food and drink. He coined the term "subliminal advertising"
· In 1958 the UK, America and Australia banned the practice
· In 1962 James Vicary admits he falsified the results
· In 1974 despite no evidence that it worked, the UN said it was a major threat to human rights
· In 1985 Dr Joe Stuessy told the US Senate that more research was needed on the subliminal messages in heavy metal music
· In 1990 the band Judas Priest was taken to court by parents of boys who killed themselves after listening to their music. Judas Priest said if they wanted to use subliminal messages they would be to tell the kids to buy more records
Copyright BBC Health News – Monday 28th September
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8274773.stm
Children are 'exercising less'
Only one in eight youngsters is getting the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day, according to the British Heart Foundation (BHF). It surveyed more than 1,000 children aged eight to 15 in July and August. The survey found that a third of the children did less than an hour of exercise a week and 20% thought you only needed to do it if you were fat. Researchers say the lack of activity is starting at a younger age and energy- dense snacks compound the problem. The BHF has launched a campaign aimed at obese 11-13-year-olds.
New campaign
The Food4Thought campaign is designed to encourage children to consider their levels of physical activity and the long term consequences of their current food choices. Recent research has predicted that, if current trends continue, two thirds of all children will be overweight or obese by 2050. Dr Mike Knapton, director of prevention and care at the BHF said: "We have a generation of kids growing up who have a shockingly blasé attitude towards exercise and being active. Young people need to switch off their square eyes and get in the habit of exercising now."
Worrying problem
Former Olympic champion Sally Gunnell is backing the campaign. She said: "Children's sluggish attitude towards daily exercise is worrying and it's great to see the BHF thinking of new ways to get them intrigued and active again." Dr David Wilson, senior lecturer in Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at the University of Edinburgh, agreed and said the lack of physical activity was starting at a younger age. He said: "Sedentary behaviour is a very worrying problem - the problem is starting in nursery school.
But obesity is absolutely about both food intake and activity - they are doing nothing and eating more. "The energy-dense snacks they consume in front of their televisions and computers are simply not being burnt off. There has been a two to three times increase in obesity in the last 15 years and there are signs from around the world that the numbers are stabilising but the small number of super obese is continuing to increase."
Dr Ian Campbell, of the charity Weight Concern, said: "Children need to be active to prevent obesity but also to promote healthy growth, bone strength and psychological wellbeing. "It is important kids know how physical activity can help them but equally important that their parents understand that too. Good habits and skills learned now can ensure children can have a lifetime of physical activity, the benefits of which will stay with them throughout and enable them to live healthier and happier lives."
Copyright BBC Health News – Sunday 27th September 2009
