Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Northern Ireland

Physical inactivity, unhealthy eating and being overweight are important preventable causes of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

The social and economic costs of this disease are enormous and have the potential to increase.

Health promotion activities aim to reduce the incidence of chronic disease by encouraging people to adopt healthier lifestyles.

The audit examined what contribution the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's investment in health promotion has made in preventing the occurrence of type 2 diabetes.

A number of strategies and measures have been put in place and it is acknowledged that addressing the problem of obesity has been a Departmental priority since the mid 1990s.

The full impact, however, of its primary prevention strategies on reducing the burden of type 2 diabetes has still to be realised.

This review looks at how health promotion activities could be strengthened as well as finding scope to improve the evidence base and the targeting and monitoring of effort.