Health and beauty

Obesity has been named as a “high priority” for the town
advertisement

Town’s health suffers as the recession bites

By Laura Herbert
October 14, 2009

The recession will “greatly increase” levels of hardship in Reading in the short term, according to a new report into children’s health – but the town will still weather the downturn better than most in the long term.

A scrutiny review of children’s health – due to be presented at a council meeting tonight – found the number of children living in households claiming benefit had risen 12 per cent since last year due to the credit crunch.

Statistics show the increase over the year from July 2008 means 8,650 children and young people in Reading now live in homes receiving housing and council tax benefits.

The report goes on to prioritise the issue of child poverty in Reading as well as teenage pregnancy, oral health and childhood obesity.

Areas of the town identified as having serious levels of poverty are Whitley, Abbey and Church wards, where 33 to 38 per cent of children are in low income families.

Reading has also seen a rise in the proportion of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance from 2.4 per cent in November last year, to 4.3 per cent in June – further evidence of the recession.

Poverty has also been linked with poor health and obesity has been named as a “high priority” for the town.

Results show if the current obesity trend in Reading continues it is estimated that about one-fifth of children aged between two and 10 will be obese by 2010, and that 25 per cent of those aged under 16 could be obese by 2050.

All schools nationally must now have a School Travel Plan that encourages pupils to walk, cycle or take the bus to school, rather than travel by car, in place by next year.

A survey into the health of Reading children shows only a quarter of the town’s youngsters think they are healthy and just 23 per cent of children and young people eat five or more portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

Tooth decay is another area where children and young people in Reading are failing as the town has, on average, more than twice the decayed, filled and missing teeth for five-year-olds compared to those in nearby Wokingham.

The results will be discussed at a joint meeting of the council’s Education and Children’s Services, Housing and Health and Community Care scrutiny panels tonight at 6.30pm in the Civic Offices.

laura.herbert@reading-epost.co.uk

| Submit Comments | View Comments (31)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 15 of 31

1 | 2 | 3 | Next Page Show 15 | 25 | 50 per page

A Coward - hmmmm, "more fool them", "education is key", "dont need the state to get involved".

Could you contridict yourself anymore? If education is key and we dont need the "state" to get involved, then who exactly educates?

Like a Young Burt Reynolds
15/10/2009 at 14:58

Look, if people are too stupid to realise that you can get a weeks worth veg down the market for the cost of a couple of happy meals and a bucket of KFC then more fool them.

If it starts to affect the health of their children then that's tantamount to abuse.

Education is the key to improving lifestyle, it helps you to make a more informed decision about what you put in to your body and the bodies of the children you have created and are wholly responsible for.

The state should not have to intervene in these matters but given the soaring number of children diagnosed with childhood obesity it seems unlikely that we will see an amicable solution for it anytime soon.

We don't need to be able to come up with better solutions for these issues, we vote for people to do that for us.

It's called a government and hopefully we'll get rid of the current lot asap.

Anonymous Coward
15/10/2009 at 14:04

Bushes, it does work we just need bigots like you to get behind projects and not be so negative. Your solution is to assume they're all lazy and good for nothing, so supply tokens as they can't be trusted with cash. This would only breed more negativity. Your false assumption that everything is slowly getting worse is based on nothing more than your own dark opinion on "the state of things". There is a lot of good work going on out there but for everyone trying to help, there are people like you who label the helpers "lefty" or "weak" and people that need help "scroungers" or "good for nothing". Ultimately people of your persuasion are a hindrance, for you offer no solutions, just quick to vilify all those that try.

Like a Young Burt Reynolds
15/10/2009 at 09:47

More of something that does not work. Great brave solution there Burt. Really pushed the envelope there mate.

Bushes Bernal, Reading
14/10/2009 at 17:11

I repeat - "In my humble opinion, we need to carry on with what we're doing but push for more"

Like a Young Burt Reynolds
14/10/2009 at 16:55

That is all being done now Burt and has been for many a year, its obviously failing. What next?

Bushes Bernal, Reading
14/10/2009 at 16:05

A token system is already in place. Bushes - your suggestion was to provide a large proportion solely for food and that it could only be used on certain types of food. What checks and balances do you assume - a sticker colour coded system? How do you over see it, who over sees it, who pays for it, what shops can you. can't you use etc. It wouldn't work mate.

In my humble opinion, we need to carry on with what we're doing but push for more. In this I mean education on diet and out reach to the deprived areas. Maybe in local comunity centres, education to young mothers on the importance of nutrition.

Like a Young Burt Reynolds
14/10/2009 at 15:58

Reading famous for it. Beer, Burgers and Benson's

I Ron
14/10/2009 at 15:50

Where did I state all benefits would be removed? Again, you read only what you want to read.

This country is broke (in many ways but that is a discussion for another thread), and a token or card system could work with the right checks and balances. Why should benefit money be spent solely on fast food and beer and fags? I’m not even saying those luxuries should be removed, as with a proper diet there is money to be saved. That would benefit all, not just the taxpayer and benefit recipients but demands on the NHS and other bodies.

Tell me again why it wouldnt work Burt, leave out the poor scenarios though.

Bushes Bernal, Reading
14/10/2009 at 15:44

Being on a low income nowadays don't always mean the children suffer.Most younge familys have grand parents only to willing to give a hand money wise.But these same younge familys don't tell the benifits office or anyone else they might be getting help from.So don't believe everything thats told.The weekly amount of £198.00 per week for a couple with baby plus family allowance and rent and rates paid for plus vouchers for milk eggs fruit and veg plus extra for any other child is not to be classed as poor these figures are rates laid down by the benifits agency and can be looked up.On top of this there are many charities in the Reading area who help familys with grants for money to buy large items and there is also food handouts from the E.U.surplus food store.So NO there is no reason to-day for a child to starve unless its through neglect by parent/s mostly through drink or drugs or gambling.By the way ignorance is no longer an excuse niether is class or area as so called middle class familys from Cavesham /west berkshire/lower early /woodley/winnersh ect: breed these familys too.

bahumbug, Reading
14/10/2009 at 15:35

Ok great - ignorance and lazines etc are causes - what's a cure? Or is it that some people are just born ignorant and lazy? If so, on your logic, the rate of igorant and lazy babies being born is rising - what shall we do?!

Please, look beyond your bias and scratch a little deeper. Bushes, an idea but not one i'd back, you can't take control of a persons income, no matter how meagre or how ignorant and lazy you beleive them to be. "Um, hi Mrs Jones. I know you've just lost your job, your husband walked out and you have 3 mouths to feed but we understand you're not capable of feeding your family, so we're not going to give you cash anymore, no we'll give you tokens."

Like a Young Burt Reynolds
14/10/2009 at 15:02

k swiss - Express Gym, Oxford Road.

Excellent little gym!

Blue Doodles, West Reading
14/10/2009 at 14:53

What utter rot.

Ignorance and laziness are the main causes of obesity.

And cake.

Anonymous Coward
14/10/2009 at 14:42

Burty, thats no really answer is it?...im depressed so the kids can have chips?

Maybe a system of tokens can be sent out to the poor to replace a portion of benefit, these tokens can then be exchanged for the dietary essentials. Just the beginnings of an idea...

Bushes Bernal, Reading
14/10/2009 at 14:34

Oh Bushes - if you read the thread you'll see your friend Iron got in the first attack and i was merely retaliating,

Well Bushes, my opinion on this is - Ignorance can not be used as an exscuse, you'd need your head up your bum to not know what a healthy diet is these days, but I do appreciate the challenge of getting your child to eat healthily. Balanced diet is key. lets not throw around comments like lard ass etc. This can surely only cause further isolation and comfort eating. I do beleive there is a link to recession, as article points out. Obesity is linked, as the stats demonstrates, with income (though not solely), thoughts on why this is? Maybe depression for losing job? Convenience for familys on lower incomes i.e Mums Cleaning 12 hours a day and dads a taxi driver all night? Ignorance on what a healthy diet is (I doubt it?).

We can all say "rubbish obesity has nothing to do with income" but you'd be wrong, as stats prove, there is a link but what do we think that is? Roll on I ron and hugh's snobish helpful comments "bloody fatties spending dole money on Big Macs etc." Yawn, i'm tired, i'm off for a KFC bucket to cheer me up.