THE number of dangerously overweight Scots turning to the NHS to help them slim has trebled since the pandemic.
Public Health Scotland figures show the country is facing an obesity “ticking time-bomb”.
2
2
Doctors referred almost 7,000 over-18s to health service weight management services between October 2019 and September 2020.
But the total rocketed to 19,388 during the same period from 2021 to 2022, the latest available data shows.
Scottish Tory deputy health spokeswoman Tess White said: “These shocking statistics reveal Scotland is facing a ticking time-bomb when it comes to people being overweight.
“Successive SNP Health Secretaries have failed to do enough to promote a healthy lifestyle. Now Neil Gray must urgently act.
“Otherwise, the burden will fall on our NHS which is already overwhelmed on the SNP’s watch.”
The soaring referrals come despite the Scottish Government launching its “diet and healthy weight delivery plan” in 2018 after a survey showed two thirds of adults in Scotland were overweight.
Some 29 per cent were categorised as being obese. The strategy promised an “ambitious” approach to encourage people to eat well and have a healthy weight.
It included plans to consult on restrictions on the marketing and promotion of unhealthy food. In February this year, we told how porridge was being targeted as part of a crackdown on junk food discounts.
As well as banning discounts such as buy-one-get-one-free and three-for-two offers, proposals include outlawing temporary price offers and meal deals containing blacklisted products.
Unhealthy, pre-packed foods are also in ministers’ firing line.
Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “Obesity is one of the biggest public health challenges Scotland faces.
“These worrying trends suggest the SNP has failed to make the progress needed tackling this issue. We need a joined-up approach to reducing obesity.”
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton added: “It makes me profoundly sad that people are getting to enjoy fewer years of healthy life than they used to.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We welcome this report from Public Health Scotland which shows an increase in people accessing weight management services.
“This financial year we have provided core funding of £8.25million to health boards to deliver these services in addition to funding for reduction of obesity and type 2 diabetes risk.”