12:10pm Saturday 27th February 2010
By Warwick Payne
MORE people in Hampshire are going to hospital with obesity-related health problems, NHS figures have shown.
Across the county there were 132 admissions in 2009/09 compared with 92 in 2006/07, a rise of 43 per cent.
It was a major issue in Southampton where the figure more than quadrupled from nine to 38.
But the Hampshire County Council area - including Winchester, Eastleigh and the Test Valley - also saw a rise.
While there were 83 admissions at the start of the period, it became 94 by the end, a 13 per cent jump.
The data covers all cases where the primary cause of an admission to hospital is obesity. This includes breathing, circulation or organ problems, and even broken bones caused by a fall linked to a patient's weight.
In Winchester, the Royal Hampshire County Hospital often has to take special measures when dealing with larger patients.
A hospital spokeswoman said they had to ensure patients had enough room. As a result, to give obese patients space on wards, they sometimes had to remove the neighbouring bed.
The hospital does not offer gastric band or other weight-reducing surgery, but does offer dietary advice.
Karen Hazzard, the hospital's community dietician, said: "Obesity is a growing problem and it's related to the way that we live these days.
"We do less physical activity, many people drive to work, and we spend less time cooking which means we're eating more ready meals. Portion sizes have also increased a lot."
She added that obesity could cause heart and breathing problems along with some kinds of cancer, type-2 diabetes and strokes.
She said patients could see their doctor or practice nurse for weight loss tips, or visit www.nhs.uk for advice.
Across England, the number of people admitted to hospital because of obesity more than doubled between 2006/07 and 2008/09, rising from 3,862 to 7,988.
Shadow health minister Mike Penning said: "Labour have been shamefully complacent over obesity.
He added: "These figures show the toll their complacency is taking, with thousands of lives being destroyed and huge pressures placed on the NHS."
A Department of Health spokesman said: "There's no doubt that levels of obesity in this country, as in the rest of the developed world, are far too high.
"That's why we're investing time, energy and money into preventing people from becoming obese in the first place."
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