Scottish Government Allocates Additional 40m Pounds To Tackle Obesity Epidemic

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Diabetes
Article Date: 25 Jan 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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Diabetes UK Scotland welcomes the recent announcement from Nicola Sturgeon, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing that additional funding is to be given to tackle Scotland's obesity epidemic. In the Scottish Parliament, the Government announced an £40 million package over the next three years to drive through health improvements, with a particular focus on obesity.

Diabetes UK Scotland Director, Audrey Birt, said, "This is certainly a step in the right direction. Recent statistics suggest that Scotland has one of the highest levels of obesity among OECD* countries, second only to the USA. Type 2 diabetes is one of the main health risks associated with obesity and it is important that we support people to achieve a healthy weight to halt the diabetes epidemic."

Diabetes UK Scotland has been invited to meet the Cabinet Secretary to discuss issues around diabetes prevention and diagnosis.

*Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.

Diabetes UK