HC Deb 01 July 2002 vol 388 cc152-3W
Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether overweight and obesity has decreased since the setting of milestones for its reduction within the national health service framework for coronary heart disease. [61475]

Ms Blears

The annual health survey for England provides information on the prevalence of overweight and obesity for the general population. Based on figures from the health survey for England 2000, the year for which the latest data are available, 45 per cent. of men are overweight and 21 per cent. obese, and 34 per cent. of women are overweight and 21 per cent. obese.

The national service framework for coronary heart disease was published in March 2000. Pending the publication of data for the years 2001 and 2002 no information exists to determine the national impact of the milestones.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has collated on the health promotion milestones set within the national service framework for coronary heart disease in relation to obesity and overweight. [61478]

Ms Blears

It is the role of strategic health authorities to manage the performance of primary care trusts against the milestones of national service frameworks (NSF).

However the Department has commissioned work to review local activity relevant to the prevention aspects of the national service framework for coronary heart disease.

The results suggest that implementation of local prevention programmes and the availability of quantitative data in response to the NSF has been variable. As a first step in addressing this the Department is preparing a handbook aimed at helping primary care professionals to deliver the NSFs.

Mr. Amess

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered patients in England had a recorded body mass index of above 35 in(a) April 2001 and (b) April 2002. [61474]

Ms Blears

Although we do not hold data centrally on the body mass index (BMI) of registered patients, data are available on the BMI of the general population. The health survey for England for the year 2000 provides the most up to date information on the prevalence of overweight (BMI 25–30) and obesity (BMI over 30) among UK adults. The Survey found that 45 per cent. of men are overweight and 21 per cent. obese, and 34 per cent. of women are overweight and 21 per cent. obese.

The national centre for social research hold data for BMI above 35 but these data are not published as part of the health survey for England.