OBESITY


ukactive CEO Dave Stalker thinks that the focus should move from obesity to inactivity


so that more is invested in promoting physical activity. “Our dream would be for there to be a fi tness or community exercise professional in each GP surgery, counselling people to become more active,” says Stalker. This approach has proved successful in a programme piloted by ukactive in Essex (see Let’s Get Moving briefi ng, right).


SLEEP EXPERTS There’s a growing body of evidence to suggest sleep deprivation can lead to obesity (see briefing below). Several theories have been mooted as to why. Sleep-deprived people may be too tired to exercise, or they might eat more as they’re awake longer and snack at night. Also, lack of sleep disrupts the balance of key hormones that control appetite, so sleep-deprived people may be hungrier than those getting enough rest. So should governments be increasing


awareness about the benefi ts of a good night’s sleep? And should there be more health interventions to help those who have diffi culty sleeping?


A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP


A study funded by cancer charities and carried out by the University of Oxford has found a link between light levels in women’s rooms at night and their weight. Researchers speculated that melatonin might play a role, as it’s a hormone whose production is inhibited by exposure to light and is thought to play a role in metabolism. A study funded by the American


Diabetes Association at Temple’s Center for Obesity Research and Education in the US looked at the impact of sleep on children’s eating behaviours. When the children taking


part in the study slept more, they consumed an average of 134 calories less per day, weighed half a pound less and had lower fasting levels of leptin – a hunger-regulating hormone which is highly correlated with the amount of adipose tissue – when compared to results monitored in a week when they had less sleep. A study at Massachusetts General


Hospital for Children analysed data from 1,046 children over a number of years by interviewing their mothers about their sleep patterns and, at the age of seven, measured their height


72 Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital


LET’S GET MOVING


ukactive has piloted a programme, Let’s Get Moving, which is aimed at previously inactive people in danger of developing chronic diseases related to their lifestyle choices. Funded by Sport England and


supported by local authority public health teams, the programme’s aim is to create a pathway for sustainable involvement in sport and physical activity for those who are currently inactive. The pilot was carried out with a consortium of partners with fi ve Primary Care Trusts across the county of Essex, UK. It saw 504 participants amass a total of 48,000 active hours, walking 69,000 miles.


Sleep psychologist Dr Andrew


Mayers says he would like all GPs to be trained in sleep-related issues – or else be able to refer people on to someone who is. “This area of mental health is undervalued and has received a disproportionate amount of cuts,” he explains.


Let’s Get Moving uses a GP


referral model based on motivational interviewing techniques, designed to elicit information on the basis of which the patient can be referred to a qualifi ed exercise professional for a fully supported programme. In the coming months, additional


funding will come from Nesta, enabling the incorporation of a peer-to-peer element that will involve patients being mentored by a trained volunteer and introduced to a network of peer supporters. The programme will also go to new areas, starting with Essex County Council and then rolling out more broadly.


Privately-run sleep initiatives are


springing up and it’s likely the sleep industry will start to grow as part of the wellness industry. London already has a Sleep School and hospitality operators are beginning to offer retreats for insomniacs – such as the Deep Sleep Retreat at Grayshott Spa in Surrey.


Evidence suggests that sleep disruption can lead to weight gain and obesity


and weight, lean body mass, waist and hip circumference, total body fat and abdominal fat. Researchers found an association between sleep curtailment and obesity.


October 2014 © Cybertrek 2014


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