15/07/2012 Sunday Politics Wales

Later in the programme: A thousand referrals in 18 months.

Why is obesity in Wales a growing problem?

And on your marks, get set for more Olympic criticism. Are we really

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 1795 seconds

Hello, I'm Aled ap Dafydd. And on the Sunday Politics Wales, we'll

discuss what can be done to tackle the obesity crisis. Perhaps sport

and the Olympic Games could help, but one Welsh MP has big doubts

over the impact of the London 2012 Games on Wales. On the starting

blocks ready to help for the next 20 minutes are the Labour MP Chris

Evans and the Welsh Conservative AM Suzy Davies. The 4th the 4th them

in the news today, more concerns regarding security ahead of the

Olympics. The Government has acknowledged

that the inspectors were raising concerns as far back as 10 months

ago. Are you convinced the Games will be trouble-free? I hope they

will be, but I think the wider issue is a completely shocking. We

are two weeks away from the biggest show on earth and they cannot

fulfil a contract. I feel sorry for the men and women in the armed

forces who have got to come back and provide security for the Games

when they are coming off six-month tours. They will be late seeing

their families. By God for the armed forces. This is deeply

embarrassing for Theresa May has said on Monday confident everything

was in place. It now seems like a shambles. It is certainly

embarrassing for the company. It is worth remembering that their chief

Executive said hear Tony then there was a problem for the last few days.

You cannot expect the Home Secretary to know. You cannot

expect the Home Secretary to know if the chief Executive does not

know. Now that she has been told of the problem, there has been the

swiftest response. I think we can be confident at the level of

security will be more than enough to meet the demands of the Games.

we will talk more about the Olympics later in the programme.

A leading Welsh surgeon operating on the morbidly obese has told

Sunday Politics that obesity is depressingly on the rise with his

team having 1,000 referrals in 18 months. One AM has suggested

severely overweight children might have to be taken into care if no

other way can be found to help them because he believes their parents

are killing them with kindness. Adrian Browne reports.

Over the years, we have no more and more of us are becoming overweight

and at least because we have seen evidence all around us. There are

also people most of us to see whose bodies are so big they rarely get

out of their homes. These are some of the people Jonathan Barry seas.

Replace the band at the top of that the stomach to create a patch. When

the patient eats at the food, the patch views are very quickly and be

patient feels full. He is a consultant at bariatric surgeon at.

He treats patients and weighing as much as 50 stone. The unit at

Swansea's Morriston Hospital has had a thousand referrals in 18

months. After 90 morbidly obese patients a year and to grow --

undergo operations or use other techniques to reduce the number of

calories they absorb. A one-way operate on paper actions with

diabetes, -- when we operate on these patients, they have such a

significant improvement that they reduce their medication for blood

pressure. A lot of cured of diabetes. There is a cost benefit

to that. After two and a half years, there is a significant saving. We

know that this is an expensive the disease that is not going away.

May, there was the alarming story of that this goal, an obese

teenager with problems began when she was five. Her home had a 10 ft

hole cut in it and a bridge built so she could be taken to hospital.

An extreme case, yet, for those physically able to venture outside,

doing so is still often a major ordeal. These people to have to be

paid -- brave just to go outside the front door. A lot of my

patients say they feel quite embarrassed to going anywhere. This

reinforces the problem. We have seen patients over the years who

have not left home for, young people who have not left home for

eight years. A study for the Welsh Government last year estimated

obesity was costing the NHS in Wales centre �3 million a year. The

research by Swansea University for the true cost could be higher. The

latest -- latest survey put Wales 4th out of 39 nations for

overweight or obese teenagers. Behind only the United States,

Greece and Canada. With his outgoing chief medical officer said

the growth in overweight and obesity has slowed, but there are

still much to do. He questioned the sponsorship of big sports events

such as the Olympics by fast food brands. Earlier this month and the

Assembly, the Plaid Cymru am at Lindsay Whittle suggested drastic

action on a chartered obesity it might be needed if all else fails.

Is it not time that this Government initiates discussions with health

and social care agencies about the feasibility of empowering health

and social care workers to warn parents of the to not take

responsibility for their children's increasing weight problems, they

run the risk of their children being taken into care? I do not

wish to take children into care, but what is happening is that some

parents are killing their round children with kindness. I'm sure

they do not mean to, but that is what is happening. We have to send

a warning to these parents that the children are well, in fact, die,

even perhaps giving the parent's lifetime. That is not a pleasant

situation for any parent to be in. It is horrendous to think how close

to the top of the league table of Chartered obesity Wales ways. If

you let go to the United States now, they have the beginning of an

epidemic. We have to do something. There has to be affordable,

accessible good food, but a commitment to making it possible

for children to play outside, to have exercise, that is affordable,

and Crutchley, the whole of society it to wake up to the fact that this

is a very serious issue. -- gradually. The Welsh Government

said that when the children need help, their families are supported.

The safety of children and 10 people is paramount, but only when

they are at risk is the state intervention needed. Ministers say

they are encouraging and supporting individuals to make healthier

lifestyle choices. Let's pick up on the recent health behaviours in

school age children report which ranked this nation 4th in the

obesity league. How has it come to this? I do not think obesity can be

solved by legislation. Life has changed in the last 30 years. Most

of us now to stationery shops where we are sat behind desks and people

tend to keep the children in. There'll other issues. In schools,

we need to teach children about healthy eating and put on more

physical activity. I recently went to a school and there are

activities there every night. They provide sporting opportunities. The

great thing about the Olympics coming here is that it can

encourage more people to take part in sport. One in five 15 euros in

Wales are overweight or obese. His is a failure of Government or of

parental leadership? I think the issue is far more complicated than

just those two aspects. Lindsay Whittle mentioned parental

responsibility. Every parent has to take responsibility. This is a

public health element, as well. It is something the Assembly would

step in the about. I was pleased to see it was mentioned. Anyone who

has ever been on a diet will be told that the relationship with

food is the thing that governs people. That is something you

cannot legislate. Tickets to be accepted as part of the answer.

What about the suggestion that it might come to a point where

children have or are overweight and to be some might have to be taken

into care? For their own safety and protection, more than anything else.

The offer of the child is paramount. We would take to see any family

ended up in the situation where a child is taken into care on this

issue. But if families cannot understand what they're doing to

their children, it would be the same as any other care application.

Particularly where the child is in immediate danger. Social services

would be under responsibility to consider taking that action.

England, we have seen high-profile celebrity chefs trying to put some

of healthier menus in schools. That is something we have not really

seen here in Wales. Is that something you would advocate?

Indeed. I would also like to see occult back on at the idea of fast

food outlet sponsoring sporting events. It all the sudden gives

some sort of link to it being healthy, when it is not. I would

like to see something done about that. Denmark have got a fact tax.

Is that an avenue that you would like to explore? I know that in New

York, they are taking a very interesting steps against fizzy

drinks with the sugar in. I do not think they are going as far as a

tax, but it is about education. They have taxed sugary drinks in

America and the proportion of people taking them has decreased

significantly. It is one way of doing things. I do not know if we

should jump to that as the way forward. I am more interested in

what we did with cigarettes when warnings started appearing on the

cigarette packet rather than in a tiny writing where parents my age

cannot read the writing on the back of any food these days to show the

calorific values. Bringing that to the front of the package and rather

than in tiny writing on the back would be a big start. What about

the cost to the NHS? The analysis is that by 2050, obesity will cost

the spade �32 billion. That is not sustainable in a time when we know

the NHS is facing severe financial pressure. That is why we need to

look at education in school and more physical activity and to pick

up on the point about warnings, we need to look at portion control. I

remember when I was a child, a can of a Coke seemed a lot smaller than

it was now. You could not get the train sizes in burger bars. Can I

finally finish on this point, when you go to a supermarket, it is

often much more expensive to fill your trolley up with fresh fruit

and vegetables than it is compared to filling your trolley with cheap

pizzas. Is it any wonder that we have come up to be a nation of

overweight and obese people? I am going to challenge that. Fresh food

is often cheaper than the processed food. It is a question of where you

can get hold of it. You are shopping in a different shop to me.

Thank you very much. The 2012 Olympic Games kick off in

10 days' time at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, when the GB

women's football team take on New Zealand. Of course, it's a great

sporting occasion, but there has been a debate about what economic

impact the Games should have. With a final countdown to the Games

underway, one of those expressing concerns is the Plaid Cymru MP how

well Williams. I was hoping to see many people is by to take it sport.

I was hoping to see many medals transporting people from Wales and

some of the working around the Olympics would come to Wales. I AM

of those at least, we are looking for some disappointments. I'm

hoping this was people do very well. That is not the same as all the

other ambitions we had for the Olympics in the first place. Other

parties, including both parties of Government, Labour in the past and

the Conservatives now and of course Liberals as well, they should have

been taking responsibility as the people in Government for the whole

of the UK, not just London and the South East. They should have been

taking more responsibility for the whole of the UK. This sorry saga

just goes to prove Our central point to that in the matters like

this, with, Scotland, the North West and Ireland come a poor second,

third and 4th to the requirements of the south-east. He called it a

sorry saga. By you sorry to see the Olympics? I think you should stop

moaning. This is brilliant news. All eyes will be on the country.

The first event will be at the Millennium Stadium. We are two

hours away from London. We should all get behind it. 25,000 people

work out when the torch came through my area the of the week.

This is excellent. I cannot wait for the Olympics. You are calling

it a brilliant news, but less than �600,000 came in contracts for

businesses in a Wales. How can that be brilliant news for Welsh

businesses? The situation in the way that I look at it, tumour the

situation you had in 19 centre six were they did not pay of the Rome

Olympics until 10 years ago? I think we should have the debate,

but the way we see it, if we have not got the capital projects, we

have not got to pay for it. Would you stand on the business benefits

to Wales, the comparison she is quite stark between are the amount

of contracts awarded to further down the food chain. T a one

contracts, less than �600,000 to Welsh companies. �25 million to

Scotland. We also compare Daffern - - we often compare Wales and

Scotland. We are some distance from London so we would never have

benefited to the same extent. Scotland is an awful lot further

away. But does not have when you have a First Minister who said,

what would have you done with has got them to maximise the benefit

for Wales? It was always going to be a south-east bias. There was

always going to be the inevitability of that. The

immediate surroundings around where the Olympics are held. We have

football in Wales. That is the most popular sport. We're not making a

lot of that. Part of that is to do with the restriction of the sort of

sponsorship that we were talking about a little earlier. �6 billion

of contracts are available, where is the evidence the Welsh

Government has been engaging with the London organising committee in

trying to get more work for businesses sheer? We have got the

football coming, which is the most popular sport. We talk about Wales

not being on the radar. Ryan Giggs is captaining the Welsh football

side. If you let me come to the question, we have engaged in terms

of tourism, promoting it worse was a place to come and why was the

Millennium Stadium picked to play football if that was not some sort

of wicket going on there? A lot of Lottery money, tens of millions of

pounds has been redirected as a consequence of the Games go to

London, which was Lottery funding that was coming to Wales. T think

we will see the benefit of losing that many? As opposed the argument

would be that that has been a Welsh investment in the Games. Will we

see any reward coming from that? am deeply sceptical about that,

particularly from the point of what tourism. The existence of the

Olympic Games in London has not been used as a platform for Martin

Welsh tourism, either in terms of its accommodation and proximity to

London, but also its own heritage. Time now for a quick look back at

the week in 60 Seconds. Here's Adrian again.

The three opposition parties in The Senedd jointly tabled a motion of

no confidence in the Health Minister Lesley Griffiths in a row

of a weather a controversial report into NHS reforms was independent.

The assembly's health committee courted to appear before the man

there are reports that the author will also give evidence. The

Minister insisted civil servants did not attempt to influence the

document and rejected calls to resign. The Welsh Secretary Cheryl

Gillan would not confirm if an announcement on rail

electrification would happen next week. Labour's Geraint Davies press

the case for electrifying to Swansea. There has also been strong

lobbying for the Valley lines. The First Minister open the Welsh

Government's new London office, saying it would be Willis's

business gateway to the world. And here is a sticky bun. The

Conservative AM Darren Mellor call for a 5p levy on a packet of

chewing gum to help clear up the sticky waste. The there will be a

vote on that motion of no confidence in the health minister

what is the point? When you consider the health

service is the most important service in the minds of people of

Wales and we have had all this uncertainty and doubt cast on it

this week, it is pretty important the Health Minister is made to

account for her actions. She has had a lot of opportunity to that,

she has not done it. We have been pushed into this position where she

has to answer on a vote of no confidence. On the issue of the

emails between Professor Longley and Welsh Government officials, how

would you justify an independent author asking for Killer facts and

a Welsh Government official asking the author to make it more positive

question ackee cannot write read the -- he cannot write the report

in isolation. At the end of the day, he cannot write the report without

actually is in with the Government. The conclusion of the report would

not have been controversial. In terms of Lesley Griffiths, there

has been no breach in the ministerial code or evidence that

she knew about the emails. They played to the opposition parties,

if that is what they want to do, let them do that. There is nothing

really a mess. One of the major talking points, electrification. It

was always said that the electrification of the line to

Swansea was, there would have to be a business case behind it. Has that

been proved? Will we have got high expectations of the announcement

next week and I certainly hope they do as a Member for that area. We

have long been calling for it across all parties and there has

all this been a business case there. On the electrification of the

valleys lined? I hope might constituency is in that. We were

originally left out of it. Thank you very much.