An analysis and evaluation of the health concern obesity and relevant health promotion initiatives.

The aim of this essay is to analyse why Obesity is an area of health that is of concern for the government and Department of Health (2004) and to outline which target groups have been identified. It will describe in depth health promotions undertaken relating to obesity and evaluate the effectiveness of the initiatives described. The World Health Organisation (WHO, 2003) defines health as a state of undamaged mental, physical and social well-being and not purely the absence of illness and disease or frailty. WHO uses body mass index (BMI) as a benchmark for defining whether an individual is obese or overweight. An individual whose BMI is more than 30 is classed as obese and according to WHO (2006) more at risk of illness and disease as the BMI increases.

According to WHO (2006) obesity has a number of causes such as a difference between food consumption and energy used, genetics, metabo…(short extract)