Coincidentally, just prior to witnessing the great efforts of John McCormack and the skipping children of Sandy Lane Primary in Bracknell, I was asked by MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition….Do It!) to Chair a fringe meeting at the Conservative Party Spring Forum in Brighton to discuss the serious implications of childhood obesity. The meeting at the Hilton was addressed by representatives of the medical profession, a former President of the Royal College of Nursing, a representative from the Fitness Industry Association and the Chief Executive of MEND. It proved to be a very interesting meeting, attracting over 40 attendees in the audience.
I was pleased to hear that the challenge of childhood obesity was now viewed as a key political issue. Originally set up at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, MEND is an impressive social enterprise which uses ‘evidence-based’ techniques to reduce obesity levels in the young. The cost implications of obesity across all ages are immense, so any interventions which can prove effective to address the problem get my full support.
