National Obesity Forum

According to The National Obesity Forum website the NOF was established by medical practitioners in May 2000 to raise awareness of the growing health impact that being overweight or obese was having on patients and the National Health Service (NHS).

The growing prevalence of obesity and its legacy of disease, particularly type II diabetes, heart disease and premature death demands that health care professionals move forward with urgency to prioritise the way in which weight management is delivered.

The NOF is particularly concerned with the lack of focus on prevention and structured management of overweight and obese individuals in primary care and the knock-on effects this has on society. Obesity, as a disease, and as a socio-economic issue, has widespread ramifications, not just for the health service, but also for industry, education and government.

The website states that the aims and objectives of the National Obesity Forum are as follows,

• To create recognition of obesity as a serious medical problem
• To provide education and training on obesity management
• To produce guidelines for obesity management within primary care
• To provide a network for health professionals and an obesity management support and information resource
• To convince Government and healthcare workers to give obesity a high priority nationally and locally.
• To raise the profile of obesity via medical and lay media channels
• To highlight the health inequalities of obesity
• To promote quality clinical care via an annual "Best Practice Award"