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Improving communication to tackle obesity in the UK

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2007

Susan A. Jebb ,
Rebecca Lang  and
Adrian Penrose
Susan A. Jebb*
Affiliation:
MRC Human Nutrition Research, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Fulbourn Road, Cambridge, CBl 9NL, UK
Rebecca Lang
Affiliation:
MRC Human Nutrition Research, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Fulbourn Road, Cambridge, CBl 9NL, UK
Adrian Penrose
Affiliation:
MRC Human Nutrition Research, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Fulbourn Road, Cambridge, CBl 9NL, UK
*
Corresponding author: Dr Susan Jebb, fax +44 1223 437515, susan.jebb@mrc-hnr.cam.ac.uk
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Abstract

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Obesity is a serious health issue. In the UK the prevalence of obesity has trebled in the last 20 years and today one in five adults is clinically obese. Research shows that obesity is a predictable response to an environment that favours the consumption of energy-dense foods and allows minimal physical activity. This finding implies that the efficacy of public health messages to individuals to inform their lifestyle choices will be enhanced by environmental changes that support and facilitate healthy options. The present paper focuses on the importance of communicating scientific knowledge to the stakeholders with a responsibility for tackling obesity and addresses some of the barriers that are encountered.

Keywords

ObesityCommunicationPublic health
Type
Meeting Report
Information
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 62 , Issue 3 , August 2003 , pp. 577 - 581
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2003

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