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" The physical environment in which people live is &amp;#039;crucial&amp;#039; to helping people lead active lifestyles and avoid obesity, health experts say. Beatrice Brooke, policy manager at the British Heart Foundation, made the assertion after new figures were published showing a massive increase in hospital admissions because of obesity. The NHS statistics revealed that nearly 10,600 people were admitted for obesity-related ill health in 2009-10, up from less than 8,000 the previous year - an increase of about 30 per cent. Ms Brooke said that the &amp;#039;huge&amp;#039; increase demonstrated the importance of preventing obesity in the first place. She claimed: &amp;#039;We all need to take responsibility for our own health but the environment in which we live must also help us to make healthy lifestyle choices. &amp;#039;Safe and well-designed streets and neighbourhoods, as well as access to parks and open spaces, is crucial to helping people of all ages walk, cycle and play outdoors more often.&amp;#039; Tim Straughan, chief executive of the NHS Information Centre, which published the figures earlier this week, said the report should help policymakers and health professionals to see how obesity is affecting the nation&amp;#039;s health service. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/news/a20680/physical-environment-crucial-for-tackling-obesity/>