Thousands of severely obese children will be sent to new NHS ‘fat camps’, it was announced yesterday.
As a desperate measure against spiralling obesity rates 15 speciality clinics were established across England.
Children aged 2-18 years old will be treated if they are extremely overweight or at high risk for death from heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.
About 1,000 children a year will be referred to the clinics under a pilot scheme which has been allocated annual funding of £6 million – around £6,000 per child.
Thousands of severely obese children will be sent to new NHS ‘fat camps’, it was announced yesterday, in a drastic measure to combat spiralling obesity rates
Youngsters will be offered therapy to ‘pinpoint’ the cause of their weight gain, and have group sessions with psychologists, dietitians, social workers and paediatricians.
More than 2.5 million children live in England, with one-fifth of those children being obese. Research suggests today’s youngsters are on course to become the fattest generation in history.
The new clinics are expected to save the NHS money over the long term by helping prevent long-term problems such as those that can be more expensive and invasive. Obesity-related illnesses already cost the NHS a staggering £6 billion a year.
According to health officials, the epidemic has made matters worse with the thousands of children who gained weight from being locked up at home.
Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of the NHS in England said: ‘The pandemic has shone a harsh light on obesity – with many vulnerable young people struggling with weight gain during the pandemic.
‘Left unchecked, obesity can have other very serious consequences, ranging from diabetes to cancer. The early intervention program aims to stop children and adolescents from suffering a lifelong illness.
‘The NHS Long Term Plan committed to take more action to help children and young people with their physical and mental health and these new services are a landmark moment in efforts to help them lead longer, healthier and happier lives.’ The new clinics will aim to identify the root factors causing obesity in children, considering their mental and physical health, before drawing up a personalised treatment plan.
They have been set up around England, including at Southampton University Hospital, Manchester Children’s Hospital, Leeds Teaching Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
These 15 services will be based upon an existing Bristol Royal Hospital for Children clinic that has helped thousands of South-West children since its inception in 2018.
Youngsters will be offered therapy to ‘pinpoint’ the cause of their weight gain, and have group sessions with psychologists, dietitians, social workers and paediatricians
Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield, who leads the programme in Bristol, said: ‘Many children and young people with excess weight experience significant complications that can make them very unwell.
‘Using a team of experts from many disciplines, including specialist dietitians, social support workers, and mental health professionals, we can pinpoint the exact causes of weight gain and create tailored treatment plans for each child to help accelerate weight loss and address the complications caused.
The creation of these 15 new clinics across the country demonstrates the NHS’s commitment to help tackle obesity and provide more local access to specialist weight management support for children in England.’
About one in ten children become obese in primary school. This number increases to one in five when the child leaves high school.
Last year, Boris Johnson launched the Government’s anti-obesity strategy. According to some reports, he became passionate about the topic after a long bout with Covid.
To reduce childhood obesity, government has launched a fresh crackdown on junk food marketing. Advertising high levels of fat, sugar, salt and calories online will be stopped by food and confectionery giants.