The UK government is pledging to end smoking by 2030 as part of a range of measures to tackle the causes of preventable illnesses.
Promoting physical activity, developing guidelines on sleep and targeting those at risk of diabetes are also set out as priorities in the green paper. The purpose of this paper is to try and limit the amount of time people spend in poor health during their lives.
Currently men and women spend over a fifth of their lives in ill health, 19 years for women and 16 for men. According to research, those in poorer areas experience the longest periods of poor health. The green paper, which will now be consulted on, proposes a number of ways of tackling this.
“They include:
- Ensuring any smoker admitted to hospital automatically gets offered help to quit
- Extending tooth brushing schemes in nurseries and primary schools
- Reviewing the evidence on sleep and health with a view to developing clear national guidance on daily recommended hours of sleep
- Encouraging “active play” such as skipping in nurseries and more travel by bike and on foot
- Doubling funding for the diabetes prevention programme which targets lifestyle support to those most at risk of developing type 2 diabetes”
The measures come after other health measures have already been imposed, including:
- Clearer calorie labelling in cafes, restaurants and takeaways
- A ban on junk food advertising before 21:00
- Banning the sale of energy drinks to children
But the publication of the green paper was immediately criticised after it was slipped out just ahead of the announcement of a new prime minister.
