Firefighters in Scotland are rescuing more morbidly obese people from their own homes than ever before as figures have tripled over the last 10 years.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) can be called to assist in the transportation and care of bariatric patients when it might be deemed necessary due to their specialist skills and equipment. While it's primarily a medical issue, they can come to the aid of patients often because they are trapped in their own homes.
Figures obtained by the Record from a Freedom of Information (FOI) request show the SFRS attended 21 bariatric assists in 2011, compared to 72 in 2021, gradually rising each year over the decade by 213%.
So far there have been 33 incidents in 2022, and 671 in total since 2011.
Over the decade, the most assists have been needed in Clackmannanshire rescues per 100,000 people based on official NRS population estimates from 2021.
An average of 73.7 people have needed rescuing. Data then drops significantly down to 48.8 per 100,000 in the Orkney Islands, closely followed by 47 in the Highlands. Renfrewshire has the least assists with just 0.6 per 100,000 of the population during that period.
Across Scotland two out three adults are overweight or obese, according to the most up-to-date surveys.
Organisation such as Obesity Action Scotland and the Association for the study of Obesity aim to reduce obesity and the harms arising from it.
Professor Alexandra Johnstone, a leading UK researcher in nutrition from the University of Aberdeen and a part of the ASO network in Scotland, said: "These figures are certainly interesting. We know that obesity rates have risen in the UK, including Scotland.
"Two out of three Scots are overweight or obese and the Covid pandemic has not helped that, especially in deprived areas where the rates of obesity go up.
"Higher rates are also particular evident in women.
"Due to Covid people are working from home so they perhaps have more access to food, their activity levels have limited and of course mental health also has an impact.
"One of the things we have been trying to raise awareness at ASO is that for people trying to access bariatric surgery it is a bit of a postcode lottery in parts of the country. Rates of surgery are also down because of the impact of the pandemic."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Addressing obesity remains a public health priority to ensure Scotland is a place where we eat well, have a healthy weight and are physically active. Our Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan sets out ambitious and wide ranging action to address this challenge, including our aim to halve childhood obesity by 2030.”
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