Obesity could be as big a crisis as climate change unless Britons start to lose weight soon, Health Secretary Alan Johnson recently warned.
Asurvey of PCTs showed that only 33% of the money set aside was spent on addressing this problem, while two thirds of the money allocated for treating obesity, alcohol abuse and sexually transmitted diseases in 2006-07 was spent on reducing deficits. Less than 10% of PCTs spent the full allocation.
Tim Crayford, the association’s president, said: “All the evidence shows treatment for obesity, alcohol and sexual health problems are a drain on NHS resources, and with funding now in place to tackle these issues at grass-roots level, the Government should make sure this is ringfenced so that it is used for its intended purpose.”
