| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
4 Jul 2003 : Column 543W—continued
Obesity
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were diagnosed in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each LEA as being clinically obese in each of the last 10 years. [121063]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Figures for the numbers of children diagnosed as being clinically obese are not available. Obesity is normally measured in terms of body mass index (BMI). There are emerging international standards to define childhood obesity but they were developed among a population that was not representative of English children. An alternative method monitors the percentage of children who are above the 95th percentile of the 1990 BMI reference data. According to this method, five per cent. of children in 1990 had a BMI above this level and were thus classified as obese.
Increases over 5 per cent. in the proportion of children who exceed the reference 95th percentile over time indicate an upward trend in the prevalence of obesity. When applied to Health Survey for England data, this method suggests that between 1996 and 2001 the percentage of children (aged 6–15) with a BMI above this threshold (representing the prevalence of obesity) increased by 3.5 percentage points, from 12.1 per cent. in 1996 to 15.6 per cent. in 2001.
There is no data available by region, using this definition. Regional comparisons of the percentage of children in BMI quintiles were published in "The Health Survey for England—The Health of Young People 95–97", table 3.17, a copy of which is available in the Library. No information is available by local education authority.
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of (a) men and (b) women were classified as (i) obese and (ii) overweight in each year since 1980. [121064]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Figures for all years since 1980 are not available but the table shows estimates from a population survey, the Health Survey for England, from 1991, when the survey began. Although earlier surveys have information on overweight and obesity comparisons are difficult because of different survey methodologies. The Health Survey covers ages 16 and over.
(7) The samples sizes in 1991 and 1992 were smaller than in subsequent years and for reporting purposes the estimates from both years were combined.
4 Jul 2003 : Column 544W
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government has to review the role of the food industry in reducing obesity levels. [118964]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The effective prevention and management of obesity requires an integrated, cross-government approach, working with a range of partners on programmes to improve diet and increase physical activity levels. The Department of Health, together with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and other Government departments, are working with the food industry—producers, manufacturers, retailers and caterers—to improve the overall balance of diet, including salt, fat and sugar in food.
The Department of Health is leading the development of a cross-Government food and health action plan. Although the plan will be Government led, it will aim to include actions bya range of organisations including the food industry. The plan will address food production, manufacture and preparation, access to healthier food and provision of information for consumers about healthy eating and nutrition. The plan will address healthy eating at all stages of life and will build on existing work to improve diet and nutrition.
The FSA has commissioned a review on the evidence available on the effect of promotional activities on the eating behaviour of children. This will critically appraise the available evidence and draw conclusions on their effect relative to other influences on eating behaviour.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice the Government issues to healthcare professionals regarding the health risks of obesity. [118966]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Action to address obesity in England is being taken forward through the national service frameworks (NSFs) for coronary heart disease, older people and diabetes. The forthcoming NSF for children will address the health and social care needs of all children and will include the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity.
The Health Development Agency (HDA) is setting out the evidence base for effective interventions on the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity, and the maintenance of weight loss. The HDA is also undertaking "evidence into practice" work following their review of effective interventions.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued guidance on the anti-obesity drugs orlistat and sibutramine, treatment with which should be accompanied by specific concomitant advice, support and counselling on diet, physical activity and
4 Jul 2003 : Column 545W
behavioural strategies. In July 2002, NICE also issued guidance which confirmed that surgical intervention was an appropriate treatment in some cases for the treatment of morbid obesity, when other options have proved unsuccessful. There is also a national quality assurance framework for exercise referral systems to promote physical activity.
The Department of Health has also supported the development of guidance for professionals in primary care on weight management in children and adolescents, and contributed through the Section 64 Grant Scheme to the funding of the charity Weight Concern to develop a "toolkit" on obesity, for professionals to use with patients in a group setting.
Childhood Obesity
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts authorise the use of orlistat to children in the treatment of obesity. [122407]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance issued to the National Health Service states that orlistat should only be prescribed for people between the ages of 18 and 75 years. Orlistat is prescribed to children at the discretion of the local clinician and primary care trust (PCT). In 2002, 541,400 prescription items of orlistat were dispensed in the community in England. Of that total approximately 3,000 were dispensed for children.
Information is not available on how these 3,000 items for children were spread across PCTs. However, orlistat prescriptions (not just for children) were prescribed in general practitioner practices in all PCTs in 2002.
Prison Dental Treatment
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting time is to receive dental treatment for (a) those in pain and (b) those requiring routine treatment at (i) HMP Acklington, (ii) HMP Albany, (iii) HMP/YOI Altcourse, (iv) HMP Ashford, (v) HMP Askham, (vi) HMP/YOI Aylesbury, (vii) HMP Bedford, (viii) HMP Belmarsh, (ix) HMP Birmingham and (x) HMP Blakenhurst. [122399]
Dr. Ladyman: Those prisoners experiencing dental pain receive treatment without delay, where necessary accessing outside services. Information about routine dental treatment is not comprehensively available. For specific treatments, prisons report waiting times of between one and 55 days. Routine appointments typically take longer.
Carers
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to monitor the peformance of local authorities in England in the provision of respite care breaks. [123443]
Dr. Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. McWalter) on 19 June 2003, Official Report, column 427W.
4 Jul 2003 : Column 546W
Sensory Impairment
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients suffered from sensory impairment, in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by sense. [122408]
Dr. Ladyman: Figures are not held centrally showing how many national health service patients with a sensory impairment are treated for conditions other than their impairment. The table shows the number of finished consultant episodes in 2001–02, for which the primary diagnosis was sensory loss. The figures given are very much an underestimate because they relate specifically to sensory loss. Many other conditions may well cause sensory loss, but that is not the primary diagnosis. For example, there were 265,123 finished consultant episodes in the same period for patients whose primary diagnosis was 'disorders of the lens', including cataracts.
| Sense | Number |
|---|---|
| Hearing | 3,285 |
| Sight | 424 |
| Taste/smell | 74 |
| Touch | 1,562 |
Notes:
1. A finished consultant episode is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes or be admitted several times within the year.
2. Figures in this table have not yet been adjusted for shortfalls in data.
Source:
Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health.
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of hospitals had (a) hearing volunteers to assist hearing impaired patients and (b) sight volunteers to assist sight impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available; [122409]
- (2) what percentage of hospitals used sign language interpreters for hearing impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available; [122410]
(3) what percentage of hospitals used written communications designed for deaf-blind patients in the last year for which figures are available; [122411]
(4) what percentage of hospitals had access to (a) Type Talk and (b) Minicom services for hearing impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available; [122412]
(5) what percentage of nurses were trained in communicating with sensory impaired patients in the last year for which figures are available; [122413]
(6) if he will introduce a protocol for communicating with sensory impaired patients. [122445]
Dr. Ladyman: In 1999, the Department of Health issued "Doubly Disabled: Equality for Disabled People in the New NHS Access to Services", to chief executives of health authorities and national health service trusts. This includes a section on providing good quality services for deaf and hard of hearing people. The NHS University (NHSU) is leading on the design and delivery of a disability equality training strategy for the NHS
4 Jul 2003 : Column 547W
workforce as part of the wider Department of Health human resources directorate's equalities and diversity delivery plan. As part of this work, NHSU will consider a protocol for communicating with sensory impaired patients. This strategy will also influence the strengthening of disabilities awareness within health professional education and training. Statistical information on the strategies adopted by hospitals in communicating with patients who have sensory impairments is not collected centrally.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |