One of the very few things that has shown steady and continuous growth since the war has been the Scottish waistline. Countless healthy eating initiatives have been introduced over the years – I’ve attended more initiative launches than I’ve had pie and beans lunches – yet Scotland’s problem with poor diet, obesity and the resultant chronic health issues remain as intractable as ever.
Two thirds of Scotland’s adults are classed as either obese or overweight, and a BBC Scotland special investigation to be screened tonight confirms that Scotland’s love affair with sugary and fatty foods grows unabated. That love affair costs Scotland’s NHS £200 million a year – and unless something is done to tackle this urgently the country faces a health crisis.
Statistics produced for ‘Scotland the Fat’ indicate that heath boards across the country have seen significant increase in obesity-related issues over the last ten years, with a marked increase in weight-loss surgical operations.
Research for the programme found that more and more Scots eat processed ready meals or takeaways at least three times a week, and that barely a quarter of Scots now cook for themselves every night. As ever the most worrying statistics were found in the most disadvantaged communities, where almost one in five (17%) said they did not cook a single evening meal from scratch.
In North Edinburgh, Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP) established the Food For Thought Forum last year to address these very issues:
The Food for Thought Forum exists to bring together community food and growing initiatives, organisations, projects and individuals within the area of Greater Pilton, Edinburgh; and to support, promote, link and increase local community food activity.
Our Vision
The group believes everyone in North Edinburgh should have access to a tasty, enjoyable, nutritious diet. We want food to be a central part of our thriving community, bringing people together to grow, bake, cook and eat.
We want to see our community skilled and empowered to grow and cook good quality food for their families, friends and neighbours, and to see more local employment opportunities created in the production, distribution and preparation of the food we eat.
Our members are working towards aspects of this shared vision, and we believe that by working together we are stronger and better able to contribute to the flourishing of North Edinburgh.
Our key aims
- To share and pool our knowledge and resources around community food & health
- To use our collective resources to further develop a thriving local food culture
- To move towards an adaptable and resilient community by providing opportunities for local skills development
- To work together towards improving diet, food access, nutrition and health in Greater Pilton
Who can join?
Anyone involved or interested in community food or growing activity in Greater Pilton.
What does it involve?
- Attending regular local meetings
- Sharing ideas, knowledge and resources
- Contributing to the planning, promotion and coordination of events
- Signposting queries to appropriate forum members
- Regularly contributing to ongoing forum discussion
For further information about heathy eating and the Food for Thought Forum, contact Anita Aggarwal at Pilton Community Health Project on 551 1671
‘Scotland the Fat’ will be screened on BBC Scotland tonight at 8pm, and can be seen on BBC iPlayer for a further seven days.
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