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| Walking the walk on dealing with obesity | Walking the walk on dealing with obesity |
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| Proposing taxes on "bad" foods is the dish of the day in obesity policy. The 20% tax on soft drinks urged by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (The fat man of Europe, 18 February) is the fifth such proposal from health bodies in the UK in the past nine months. The attractions are obvious. For 30 years, British governments have tried gentle educational policies to encourage consumers to make "informed healthy choices". That strategy has failed. We keep getting fatter. | Proposing taxes on "bad" foods is the dish of the day in obesity policy. The 20% tax on soft drinks urged by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (The fat man of Europe, 18 February) is the fifth such proposal from health bodies in the UK in the past nine months. The attractions are obvious. For 30 years, British governments have tried gentle educational policies to encourage consumers to make "informed healthy choices". That strategy has failed. We keep getting fatter. |
| Taxes look tougher. But they face two practical problems: economics and politics. The most authoritative analysis ever done on British consumption and purchase data for soft drinks over the past quarter-century was published last August. It showed that a 10% tax would reduce intakes by 7.5ml per person per day – less than a sip. For a 20% tax, perhaps a swallow. But this realistic appraisal does not appear among 87 references in the AMRC report. | Taxes look tougher. But they face two practical problems: economics and politics. The most authoritative analysis ever done on British consumption and purchase data for soft drinks over the past quarter-century was published last August. It showed that a 10% tax would reduce intakes by 7.5ml per person per day – less than a sip. For a 20% tax, perhaps a swallow. But this realistic appraisal does not appear among 87 references in the AMRC report. |
| Moreover, the doctors are proposing tax increases on mass-market foods when (a) we are on the verge of a triple-dip recession, (b) retailers are regularly going bankrupt and (c) food banks to distribute free food to the poor are opening at the rate of three a week. | Moreover, the doctors are proposing tax increases on mass-market foods when (a) we are on the verge of a triple-dip recession, (b) retailers are regularly going bankrupt and (c) food banks to distribute free food to the poor are opening at the rate of three a week. |
| The present government, and its predecessor, have always been ideologically opposed to tax increases. That inclination has only been reinforced by the recent decision of Denmark, the most tax-tolerant nation on earth, to repeal its fat tax after barely a year. In the UK, a soft drinks tax is unlikely to ever be adopted, and would be ineffective if it were. Jack Winkler London | The present government, and its predecessor, have always been ideologically opposed to tax increases. That inclination has only been reinforced by the recent decision of Denmark, the most tax-tolerant nation on earth, to repeal its fat tax after barely a year. In the UK, a soft drinks tax is unlikely to ever be adopted, and would be ineffective if it were. Jack Winkler London |
| • Promoting a healthy, balanced diet is important but unlikely to solve the obesity problem unless we also tackle the crisis of physical inactivity. Only around a third of English adults are sufficiently active; a third are very inactive, doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week. Sedentary lifestyles are taking years off our lives and life off our years. | • Promoting a healthy, balanced diet is important but unlikely to solve the obesity problem unless we also tackle the crisis of physical inactivity. Only around a third of English adults are sufficiently active; a third are very inactive, doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week. Sedentary lifestyles are taking years off our lives and life off our years. |
| The most likely way to achieve the recommended levels of physical activity is through walking. Almost everyone, regardless of fitness level, age or finances, can step out of their front door and start walking. But more needs to be done to encourage people to take those first steps, from interventions like Walking for Health, which create a supportive, friendly space to walk with like-minded people, through to ensuring that there is greater investment in the places we walk. Simon Barnett Director of walking promotion, Ramblers | The most likely way to achieve the recommended levels of physical activity is through walking. Almost everyone, regardless of fitness level, age or finances, can step out of their front door and start walking. But more needs to be done to encourage people to take those first steps, from interventions like Walking for Health, which create a supportive, friendly space to walk with like-minded people, through to ensuring that there is greater investment in the places we walk. Simon Barnett Director of walking promotion, Ramblers |
| • It amazes me that the government fails to make the connection between halving the national curriculum requirement for sport, to a paltry one period per week, and the growing problem of obesity in children. This cynical cost-saving exercise, following a policy encouraging schools to sell off playing fields, was particularly astounding coming as it did last summer when the nation was celebrating British achievements in the Olympics. | • It amazes me that the government fails to make the connection between halving the national curriculum requirement for sport, to a paltry one period per week, and the growing problem of obesity in children. This cynical cost-saving exercise, following a policy encouraging schools to sell off playing fields, was particularly astounding coming as it did last summer when the nation was celebrating British achievements in the Olympics. |
| A daily session involving some kind of physical exercise would improve concentration in the classroom, and bring a sense of wellbeing and self esteem. This would reduce the need for comfort eating, which lies behind most obesity problems. Once sweet food has become the source of support in times of stress and unhappiness in childhood it will retain this role throughout adult life. Gillian Cox Oxford | A daily session involving some kind of physical exercise would improve concentration in the classroom, and bring a sense of wellbeing and self esteem. This would reduce the need for comfort eating, which lies behind most obesity problems. Once sweet food has become the source of support in times of stress and unhappiness in childhood it will retain this role throughout adult life. Gillian Cox Oxford |
| • The government will have problems responding to the AMRC's ideas because of its tendency to defer to Big Carb – ie manufacturers of carbohyhdrate-laced energy drinks, sugar, cakes, bread etc. What junior minister Anna Soubry said recently about poor people and obesity was perfectly reasonable as far as it went. But she did not go on to make the connection between forced impoverishment – her government's policy in all but name – and restricted lifestyle choices. Obesity is a form of malnutrition historically associated with poverty. Poor people cannot eat quality meat or fish. Carbohydrate, which is so easily metabolised, is the big problem. Carbohydrates are cheap, so the poor eat them. All of this helps explain the chronic rise in diabetes. James Holland Newcastle upon Tyne | • The government will have problems responding to the AMRC's ideas because of its tendency to defer to Big Carb – ie manufacturers of carbohyhdrate-laced energy drinks, sugar, cakes, bread etc. What junior minister Anna Soubry said recently about poor people and obesity was perfectly reasonable as far as it went. But she did not go on to make the connection between forced impoverishment – her government's policy in all but name – and restricted lifestyle choices. Obesity is a form of malnutrition historically associated with poverty. Poor people cannot eat quality meat or fish. Carbohydrate, which is so easily metabolised, is the big problem. Carbohydrates are cheap, so the poor eat them. All of this helps explain the chronic rise in diabetes. James Holland Newcastle upon Tyne |
| • Perhaps the Guardian should take the lead and publish the nutritional content, and correct calorie content, of all the recipes that it publishes (Calorie count is inaccurate on many foods 'by up to 25%', 19 February). The calorie content of the entire recipe, of course, not just a portion ('Portion size game' hides a shocking truth, G2, 18 February). Helen Reynolds Daventry | • Perhaps the Guardian should take the lead and publish the nutritional content, and correct calorie content, of all the recipes that it publishes (Calorie count is inaccurate on many foods 'by up to 25%', 19 February). The calorie content of the entire recipe, of course, not just a portion ('Portion size game' hides a shocking truth, G2, 18 February). Helen Reynolds Daventry |
| • If one of the "big four" supermarkets is selling six economy apple pies at 50p and one apple at 31p, is it any surprise that we have an "obesity crisis"? Sue Hobbs Teddington, Middlesex | • If one of the "big four" supermarkets is selling six economy apple pies at 50p and one apple at 31p, is it any surprise that we have an "obesity crisis"? Sue Hobbs Teddington, Middlesex |
| • John Harris is misguided in using the horsemeat scandal as a pretext for drawing up battle lines between vegetarians and carnivores (No more excuses. The only option is to go vegetarian, 18 February). The processing companies in question adulterate wholesome foodstuffs indiscriminately, both animal and vegetable. Furthermore, your front-page lead on obesity reminds us that the greatest danger to health in the adulterated food products is not the horsemeat they may contain, but salt and fat levels. And is it by coincidence that the convoluted supply chain enabling the insertion of dodgy ingredients into our food mimics the labyrinthine system of "transfer pricing" that permits multinationals to avoid tax? David Walker Sheffield | • John Harris is misguided in using the horsemeat scandal as a pretext for drawing up battle lines between vegetarians and carnivores (No more excuses. The only option is to go vegetarian, 18 February). The processing companies in question adulterate wholesome foodstuffs indiscriminately, both animal and vegetable. Furthermore, your front-page lead on obesity reminds us that the greatest danger to health in the adulterated food products is not the horsemeat they may contain, but salt and fat levels. And is it by coincidence that the convoluted supply chain enabling the insertion of dodgy ingredients into our food mimics the labyrinthine system of "transfer pricing" that permits multinationals to avoid tax? David Walker Sheffield |
| • While I applaud anyone who reduces their consumption of meat, let alone gives it up completely, in ethical and environmental terms the only defensible option is to go vegan. Not only does dairy industry help make meat financially viable, its horrors are equal to, if not worse than, those of the slaughterhouse. Vesna Main London | • While I applaud anyone who reduces their consumption of meat, let alone gives it up completely, in ethical and environmental terms the only defensible option is to go vegan. Not only does dairy industry help make meat financially viable, its horrors are equal to, if not worse than, those of the slaughterhouse. Vesna Main London |
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