Early Life Nutrition and Lifelong Health - Derbyshire Local Medical ...

BMA Board of ScienceTackling the problem of obesityThe DH has set targets to address obesity. The public service agreement (PSA), established in 2007has the aim ‘by 2020 we will have reduced the proportion of overweight and obese children to2000 levels’. 14 The Government Office for Science through the Foresight programme has developeda strategic approach to address the problem. 18In terms of chronic disease prevention, it appears that addressing infant nutrition could impact onthese relatively short-term targets, and it would be very important in influencing the incidence ofchronic disease in the longer term. Some research shows that weight gain even in the first few226, 227, 281weeks of life is related to childhood obesity.The BMA policy report Preventing childhood obesity (2005) raises concerns at the rising levels ofchildhood obesity and poor nutritional quality of diets of children and adolescents. 282 The reportdiscusses those factors contributing to the rise in obesity and highlights the responsibilities ofindividuals in addressing obesity, and of policy makers to provide an environment which is lessobesogenic. The importance of infant feeding is noted and the protective effect of breastfeedingon childhood obesity is discussed. A primary theme of this work focuses on enabling parents andcarers, as well as children, to make healthy choices through effective education and informationprovision which is consistent and free from adverse influences which encourage unhealthy foodchoices. Recent follow up work to this report has concentrated on:• improving school food and food education in school• lobbying for restrictions on the advertising of foods high in fat, salt and sugar to children• supporting and encouraging adoption of ‘traffic light’ front-of-pack signposting.The Foresight project Tackling obesities: future choices was announced in 2005. The BMA was akey stakeholder and had an input particularly focused on systems mapping and scenario building.The outcomes report 283 was published in October 2007 and examines the scientific evidence basefrom across a wide range of disciplines in order to understand the relationships and importance ofkey factors influencing obesity. Using this evidence it aims to identify effective interventions,predict how obesity might change in the future and identify the most effective responses. As wellas the final report, this project produced a series of reviews of the current science and models forfuture trends of obesity and policy options and the impacts on health.The Foresight report argued for a life-course approach to prevention and emphasised that societywould have to be prepared to measure success over longer timeframes than currently. A specificrecommendation was the promotion and implementation of a programme of early interventions atbirth or in infancy.Key messageImproving infant nutrition could be very important in influencing the incidence of chronicdisease in the longer term.Early life nutrition and lifelong health 63