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Welsh Government launches new plan to tackle obesity

The Welsh Government has launched a long-term strategic initiative for prevention and reduction of obesity in the country. The 'Healthy Weight' plan aims to provide people with access to healthy settings and environments, thereby enabling them to make healthy choices.

More than 60 per cent of the Welsh population is believed to be overweight. The figure is expected to rise to 64 per cent by 2030 if the current trend continues. Obesity prevention is challenging, with several contributory factors acting at the individual, community, societal and global levels.

The Healthy Weight strategy is focusing on four key areas:

  1. Healthy Environments: supporting individuals to make healthy choices in terms of their habits of eating out, shopping, travel and use of outdoor spaces.
  2. Healthy Settings: supporting environments such as childcare settings, schools, educational institutes, workplace and communities to promote healthier choices.
  3. Healthy People: providing advice, information and support to individuals regarding their health and lifestyle choices.               
  4. Leadership and Enabling Change: driving improved leadership and accountability across all sectors to make the strategy a success.

Frank Atherton, Chief Medical officer for Wales, said: "60% of the adult population is obese or overweight, we have to turn this figure around. We know that changing daily lifestyle habits can be challenging but it can be done—we want to help people to break old habits and create healthy new ones."


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