Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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Health expert praises Scottish policy

29/11/2005

Other countries could learn from Scotland's lead in health improvement and fighting health inequalities according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) expert.

Erio Ziglio, Head of the WHO's European Office for Investment for Development and Health, said:

"Scotland has considerable health challenges, but I believe the way the Scottish Executive and NHSScotland have been tackling them over recent years provides a good example to other small countries - in Europe and worldwide.

"Scottish problems are not unique - European cities such as Turin and Malmo share the kind of sharp differences in life expectancy which we see in Glasgow for example.

"But many other countries are not as far ahead in dealing with health inequalities, and I am keen to see how we can communicate this more widely."

This comes on the day results from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey were published.

The survey provides encouraging evidence that, in some areas of their lifestyle, the Scots are now beginning to heed the messages about the link between lifestyle and good health.

But the survey also confirms that there is still a long way to go before we achieve the level of lifestyle change which will deliver better health to the population as a whole.

Health Minister Andy Kerr said:

"We have been driving forward change and are now beginning to see signs that we are starting to shed the sick man of Europe tag. Fewer Scots are dying prematurely from the big three killers of cancer, heart disease and stroke.

"But I am not complacent. We know that Scotland is facing major issues such as rising obesity levels and increased alcohol consumption particularly among women. It is also disappointing that smoking and alcohol consumption among 15 year olds is on the increase.

"That is why we are taking work forward on a number of fronts to tackle these issues. A lot of the initiatives have come in since 2003 when this survey was conducted.

"But we are seeing positive signs of improvement. Peoples' attitudes towards eating are changing. Men and women are also getting more active. Smoking levels among adults have been falling consistently over recent years.

"Scotland is the first part of the UK to ban smoking in enclosed public places from March next year. This will have a massive impact on the nation's health.

"We expect, more than anything else, the introduction of smoke-free public places to denormalise smoking within society, making it less likely that children and young people will start smoking.

"We are going to make fundamental changes to the way healthcare services are delivered in Scotland.

"I want to see healthcare that gets out into communities and into workplaces, knocking on doors and talking to people, to identify who is at risk of a heart attack, cancer, diabetes or high cholesterol and helping them take action early to stop that happening.

"The survey out today confirms we are taking work forward in the right areas. We know that it will take generations to turn the tide of ill health and health inequalities. Change will not happen overnight but we are committed to this for the long term."

Key points from the survey on changes between 1998 and 2003 on health of Adults (aged 16-64) include:

• Smoking prevalence among both men and women has continued to fall from 36 percent to 32 percent and 33 percent to 31 percent respectively.
• Physical activity levels (for adults aged 16-74) have increased for both men and women. The number of men and women meeting recommended weekly levels has increased from 41 percent to 44 percent and 30 percent to 33 percent respectively.
• Eating habits is a mixed picture for both men and women, there have been respective reductions between 1995 and 2003 in adding salt to food at the table of (22.6 percent and 17.1 percent), eating biscuits once a day or more of (10 percent and 20 percent), eating chips twice a week or more of (19.6 percent and 8.6 percent), drinking non-diet soft drinks of (3.1 percent and 9.1 percent). There has been an increase in drinking skimmed or semi skimmed milk among both men (13.3 percent) and women (9 percent).
• But there has been an increase between 1995 and 2003 for both men and women in eating crisps or other savoury snacks once a day or more of (22.7 percent and 5.0 percent). Men and women are also eating less white fish once a week or more with reductions of (18.5 percent and 24.5 percent).
• Alcohol intake among women has increased in binge drinking from 16 percent to 19 percent, exceeding weekly recommended limits from 15 percent to 17 percent and in problem drinking from 5 percent to 7 percent.
• With men the number problem drinking has increased from 12 percent to 13 percent. Positively, the number of men binge drinking and exceeding weekly recommended limits have both decreased from 34 percent to 29 percent.
• Obesity levels among both men and women have increased from 18.8 percent to 22.0 percent and from 20.9 percent to 23.8 percent respectively.
• Type 2 Diabetes has increased in men from 1.5 percent to 2.0 percent and women from 1.4 percent to 1.6 percent. This is linked to the increase in obesity levels.

Children - change between 1998 and 2003

• Alcohol - the number of boys and girls aged 15 who drink alcohol about once a week or more has increased from 9 percent to 15 percent and 6 percent to 10 percent respectively.
• Smoking - the number of girls aged 8 to 15 who smoked in the previous week has increased from 3 percent to 6 percent and has decreased for boys from 4 percent to 3 percent among the same age group.
• The number of boys aged 15 who smoke cigarettes at least once a week has increased from 7 percent to 11 percent and has remained at 12 percent for girls aged 15.
• Obesity levels among boys aged 2-15 has increased from 14.4 percent to 18 percent. Among girls levels have decreased from 14.2 percent to 13.8 percent.
• Physical Activity - - the number of children aged 5-15 meeting recommended weekly physical activity levels has increased from 72 percent to 74 percent for boys and from 59 percent to 63 percent for girls.
• Eating habits of children have been recorded for the first time. Almost half of children eat 1 portion or more but less than 3 portions of fruit and veg each day - 44 percent of girls and 47 percent of boys. The survey also shows the number of children drinking non diet soft drinks once a day or more has reduced from 61 percent to 46 percent among boys and from 55 percent to 43 percent among girls.