National Obesity Awareness Week is about promoting the ways in which individuals, Government, and businesses can improve public health. The aim is to provide the information and resources that can bring about long-term positive changes. This is desperately needed in Wales also. There is a level of obesity in both children and adults that represents a major public health challenge. Nearly a quarter of people in Wales are currently classed as obese.

Deputy Presiding Officer, according to the child measurement programme for Wales, more than 26 per cent of children in Wales are obese and overweight. What, actually, it is is what we take in and we don’t take out in the body—actually, we don’t burn calories. That is the area that we have to look at very carefully, and we have to start from the children, as my honourable colleagues have already mentioned. The children, when they go to primary schools—I think every school in Wales should have a trampoline. The children should enjoy the game and also burn their calories. Most of the school fields have gone for these developments for housing. For God’s sake stop that nonsense and leave these playing fields for children to go and play in the grounds and make sure the calories are burned, as we did in our childhood.

Basically, there are a lot of other things in life that we have to learn. Only standing for two or three hours a day—don’t do anything—and, my friend, it will actually reduce 4 kg in a year in your body, if you just stand; pity we only stand here for five minutes. But if you add up in a year half an hour standing—ladies in the kitchen, children playing around, all these minor things. All these—[Interruption.] We must, basically—[Interruption.] Obesity is getting serious. We’ve got one doctor in this Chamber. There are very serious diseases that are directly linked to this problem—heart, lung, kidney, liver; you name it—there are serious fatal diseases.

And the children, right from the age of 16—and when you’re young and smart, but, when you’re 40 and above, you become obese. That is not right. It is actually not putting the body into active real life and then giving a contribution to the community. It is costing the British Government virtually—it is costing us, the Welsh Government, £1.4 million a week. The national health service—this is serious money. It is not a laughing point, my friends. It is a serious point: £1.4 million a week. Our NHS is actually under strain to look after these diseases directly linked with obesity. So, we have to do something about it.

The British Heart Foundation says that Wales has the highest prevalence of heart failure in the United Kingdom, with more than 30,000 people diagnosed. What a shame. It is clear we need a programme of preventative initiatives to promote public health in Wales. But the Welsh Government approach to tackling obesity is delivering inconsistent results, with little sign of the level declining. The proposed Public Health (Wales) Bill has already been criticised for not including any provision aimed specifically at tackling obesity. We need a strategy in educating people and this must start in our schools, as I said earlier.

Deputy Presiding Officer, there are other areas, there are many areas in the world—. The Chinese—when you go to China, India and other countries, you go out in the morning and the parks are full of people doing exercises. But look at our parks, our areas. We’ve got beautiful landscapes in Wales, but I’ve yet to see the people going out and doing some exercises. What’s the problem? This is some—[Interruption.] Why are we spending money? It won’t cost us anything. Just come out in your gardens and do some exercise.

I know I’m not the right example myself, but—[Interruption.] I must admit—[Interruption.] We must do what we preach, but the fact is, our children—we’re talking of a generation, believe me. Ladies who are obese, it’s actually not helping for our next generation. Those of child-bearing age get problems; they cannot produce more children. Obesity is one of the direct—[Interruption.] The doctor is there. The doctor is sitting there. You can confirm with the doctor. This actually is declining. There is also—[Interruption.] There are, I said, many problems, directly linked, in health, directly to obesity.

Deputy Presiding Officer, the last point is that we must support—