Journal of public health
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Journal of public health · Mar 2012
Secular trends in body mass index and the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in Shandong, China, from 1985 to 2010.
There is strong evidence of a positive secular trend in body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of obesity has increased substantially over the last several decades. However, no studies on this trend have been reported in Shandong Province, China. The present study assessed the decennial change in BMI in Shandong Province during the past 25 years and the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents. ⋯ The average value of BMI has increased over time; overweight and obesity among children and adolescents have become a serious public health problem. Comprehensive evidence-based strategies of intervention should be introduced, including periodic monitoring.
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The need to make best use of limited resources in the English National Health Service is now greater than ever. This paper contributes to this endeavour by synthesizing data from cost-effectiveness evidence produced to support the development of public health guidance at the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). No comprehensive list of cost-effectiveness estimates for public health interventions has previously been published in England. ⋯ The majority of public health interventions assessed are highly cost-effective. The next challenge is to provide commissioners with a framework that allows information from economic analyses to be combined with other criteria that supports making better investment decisions at a local level.