Quarter of overweight Fermanagh people 'in denial'
Sarah Saunderson • Published 21 Jan 2012 09:03
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More people in Fermanagh now admit to being overweight, but almost one in four are still in denial, according to the results of a new survey commissioned by safefood, the body responsible for promoting healthy eating and food safety.
The findings, carried out by Millward Brown Lansdowne, indicate that thousands of men and women in towns across the Fermanagh and South Tyrone areas are still failing to recognise that they are overweight, and are putting their health at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers as a result.
Unveiled as part of safefood's 'Stop the Spread' campaign, the results show that 45 per cent of all adults in Northern Ireland now admit to being overweight. However, almost 60 per cent are officially overweight or obese. Previously, only 39 per cent of all adults saw themselves as overweight.
Dr. Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, Director, Human Health and Nutrition, safefood, said: "It's encouraging to see that consumers are becoming more aware of the problem of overweight and obesity and the associated health risks. However, a significant number neither recognise nor accept the problem. The next step is to move from increasing awareness among consumers to actually changing their behaviour and there are signs that this is now under way."
"Given the seriousness of the health risks associated with being overweight or obese, it's time all of us faced up to the issue, were honest with ourselves, and addressed it sensibly," added Dr. Foley-Nolan. "Nobody should ever be embarrassed."
The 'Stop the Spread' campaign is aimed at alerting people to the fact that being overweight is now the 'norm', and tackling the common excuses for excess weight around the middle such as middle-age spread, height or genetics.
The campaign urges people to measure their waist to see if they are overweight. Having a waist size greater than 32 inches for a woman or 37 inches for a man is a clear indication that a person is carrying excess weight.
Useful tips and information on weight loss can be found on the 'Stop the Spread' pages on the safefood website and on the Facebook page. Further information on 'Stop the Spread' is available at www.safefood.eu or by calling safefood on 0800 085 1683.
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