Park Prescriptions For Obese Londoners

Lindsey
By Lindsey Last edited 197 months ago
Park Prescriptions For Obese Londoners
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Next week our beleaguered government will be announcing innovative new policies aimed at tackling the public health time bomb of increasingly fat and lazy Londoners. GPs will be prescribing - wait for it - exercise, of all things, and dishing out maps of local parks to encourage us urban, sedentary types to get out there and get fit.

Genius, frankly. As long as they don't charge £6.65 per map.

Foresight, a government research unit that provides "visions of the future" is also expected to report this week on how to tackle obesity strategically, led by the Chief Scientific Officer. One of the anticipated messages is that forcing people to lose weight doesn't work. Newsflash! Thankfully, their 2 year research project has also looked into helpful things like the "obesogenic environment" and will be reporting on ways to change lifestyles and the impact of the built environment on eating and exercising habits - something which is particularly pertinent for us boxed in, fast food reliant, alcoholically inclined, gym membership wasting, sit down jobbers in the Capital.

The 'go to the park and get fit programme' is being rolled out in eight GP surgeries across five London primary care trusts including Islington, Wandsworth and Haringey.

Speakers Corner image courtesy of audreym's Flickrstream.

Last Updated 13 October 2007