We have formed a number of partnerships to help us to understand issues relating to our Risk business as well as supporting best practice in selected health and security areas. These include addressing the causes of childhood obesity, ehancing our understanding of longevity trends and improving access to home security for the elderly.
Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it! (MEND) Programme on Obesity
By 2050 two-thirds of children and nine in ten adults will be overweight or obese according to the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). This will have dramatic implications for the life assurance industry as we take into account shorter lives, higher risk and, as a result, higher premiums. We need to understand what our 12 year olds will look like and how they will behave when they are 35, which is typically the age at which individuals consider life assurance for the first time. Our newest partner, MEND, is an organisation committed to improving the health of families through the development of prevention and treatment programmes for childhood obesity.
Legal & General is investing in the development of the delivery of the ‘MEND in a Box’ teaching resource. This kit will enable teachers to incorporate healthy living into their lesson plans to encourage children to make healthy choices about activity and food.
In July 2008, the MEND Team started working with our life assurance underwriters and product designers to understand the life assurance market in the long term, based on current childhood obesity trends. Mend in a Box will be rolled out during 2009.