NHS organisations must do more to ensure the health and well-being of their staff as this can impact on patient care, the working group at the Royal College of Physicians said.
Overweight and obesity levels among the 1.4m NHS staff mirror that of the general population in that almost half are considered to heavy.
Yet a recent report found less than one in ten trusts had a plan or policy to reduce obesity amongst staff approved by the board.
NHS organisations should implement guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on health improvement among staff just the same as other workplaces, it said.
John Wass, author of the new report told the Sunday Times: “We want to make sure that people who working in the hospital health service are exposed to the ability to get help where they need it, because a lot of them are overweight.”
More here.
5 comments:
Hmmn not only NHS staff. You only have to walk around your local area, shops etc and take a look at our blooming and booming large generation that is the obesity crisis. Yes, NHS staff should set an example but more needs to be done to highlight and educate the public that action needs to be taken. We are eating too much of the wrong food.
Kate
Maybe they're overweight because they're taking their own advice.
Hey Lori you could have a good point here.It has to come down to what we eat and the amount we eat. If you go back even 20 years we were not so obese then and go back further still and I think our diets were so much better. Our lives may see progress in some areas but in others we are making a complete hash of it. Not too sure what has got to happen. We all need to realise something needs to be done and a lot faster than the 'powers' are moving at.
Sal (still cutting down the carbs and doing well)
Obesity is in the news again today. For those of us 'in the know' the answer would appear to be quite simple. Stop or cut down eating the sugary and processed foods that make you fat, have a little more exercise, think about your lifestyle.
The New Year is a great time for New Year resolutions, they needn't be too many or too extreme - simple is best and what simpler way to start the new year than cutting down on unnecessary foods and perhaps increasing those that will do our bodies far more good, bring on the humble veg and change to butter from marg - it's a start
Whether you are a diabetic or not, if you haven't given it a go give it a try.
Wonder if next time I go to my local hospital there will be some slimmer looking NHS staff?
Anne
May be the Heretic post will put the obesity epidemic in a more interesting light http://stan-heretic.blogspot.com/2012/12/9-times-less-atherosclerosis-now-than.html
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