Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
27 April 2015 09:41
Bad diets are the main cause of obesity, researchers say
The main factor behind why people become obese is what they eat, and not that they do not get enough exercise, according to a new study.
Health experts have revealed in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that it is consuming too much sugar and carbohydrates that make people bigger, and bad diets are now more likely to cause it than a combination of drinking, smoking and avoiding physical activity.
Part of their proof is that the obesity problem has grown in the last three decades but people are still getting more or less the same amount of exercise as they were then.
People with health problems caused by their size can take out medical travel insurance when they go abroad.
Calorie problems
The researchers say the blame lies with the increasing amount of calories people are putting into their bodies.
They say the food industry gives people the "false perception" that it is more important to exercise than it is to eat healthily.
'Vested interests'
It is suggested that "vested interests" have affected what people are told about the effects exercise and diets have on obesity and diabetes.
The health experts are urging celebrities to stop endorsing sugary drinks and they say there should be no commercial links between sport and junk food.
It is also thought that counselling and education are not as useful in improving the health of the population as instilling a new food culture in Britain.
Healthy option 'must be easy option'
The experts want the easy choice to be the healthy one and suggest health clubs refrain from selling any kind of sugary drinks or junk food.
As many as two fifths of people whose body mass index (BMI) is normal will suffer from hypertension, cardiovascular issues and other abnormalities for the metabolism, according to cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra of Surrey's Frimley Park Hospital, the lead author of the research.
22 September 2018
The NHS should switch to electric vehicles across its organisations, health officials have advised.
[more...]
21 September 2018
UK holidaymakers could be missing out on more than 60 direct flight routes thanks to Air Passenger Duty (APD), a report suggests.
20 September 2018
Living in areas with high levels of air pollution could be linked to an increased risk of dementia, new research suggests.
19 September 2018
Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are shelling out tens of thousands of pounds for care - and many are unable to cover the costs, a leading charity has warned.
18 September 2018
As much as £6 of every £10 spent on domestic flights in the UK goes on Air Passenger Duty (APD), new research suggests.
15 September 2018
UK driving licences might become invalid in certain European countries if the UK crashes out of the EU with no deal, the Government has warned.
14 September 2018
Online crowdfunding for cancer treatments is indirectly advancing the rise of alternative "quack" therapies, experts have warned.
13 September 2018
A "wee-stick" like those used in pregnancy testing could be employed to prevent thousands of deaths from ovarian cancer.
11 September 2018
As many as 1.3 million passengers endured severe flight delays in the last year, a new study reveals.
08 September 2018
British Airways customers are cancelling their credit cards after the carrier was hit by a 15-day data breach that compromised the details of around 380,000 people.
06 September 2018
Plastic trays at security desks harbour the highest numbers of viruses at airports, new research has discovered.
05 September 2018
Adults are being urged to take advantage of a new online tool to find out if they are at risk of having a heart attack or stroke.