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Rising obesity levels in Cumbria are costing the NHS thousands of pounds to fund special equipment for severely overweight people.

According to new figures, one in five children in Cumbria is obese by the time they start secondary school.

Hospitals in Carlisle and Whitehaven have spent around £85,606 on medial equipment for overweight patients too heavy for standard chairs, beds and operating tables, reports the Cumberland News.

The new Change4Life recently launched by the government aims to reduce the proportion of overweight children to 2000 levels by 2020.

NHS Cumbria’s director of public health, John Ashton, said: "Here in Cumbria, we’re lucky to have lots of open space and beautiful landscapes, so we’ve no excuse not to get out and enjoy it."

Elsewhere, a recent study published in the journal Cancer Today indicated that obese women are at an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to their normal weight counterparts.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with obesity

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 14th, 2009 at 10:00 am and is filed under Cholesterol / Obesity.