Over the nest few decades the cost to society of obesity is likely to run into trillions of dollars globally. The political class are aware of this but lack imagination to know what to do about it. They focus on education alone neglecting the many causes of overeating and the consumption of fattening foods. The kind of people who will follow the educational approach are those who have had loads of education themselves . Like follows like.
I propose that it is the actions of the government that will make the change. However I don’t believe that these actions should be oblatory more encouraging. They might seem somewhat expensive but will be far cheaper in the long run from the cost of health care and the affects of lost production from sickness.
1 Pay individuals through direct claims or tax incentives to attend the gym. The participants must follow a programme designed by a personal trainer and should fall within the limitations and recommendations of their physician .
2 Tax all foods that contain more than recommended sugar contents ie the more sugar in foods the more tax.
3 Subsidise single ingredient foods giving preference to vegetables, root vegetables, pulses and nuts.
4 Give tax incentives to entrepreneurs who will set up healthy eating diners where sugar and fat content is restricted and where single ingredient foods ( like salad stuff ) represents at least fifty percent of the menu.
5 Make cooking an obligatory subject taught in all schools from 7 to 16 years old.
6 Give food manufactures tax incentives to produce multi ingredient foods that have sugar free content without the use of chemicals and E numbers to create other health issues
7 Roll out a national screening programme for all young people to monitor their intake with regular testing for diseases like diabetes.
8 To pay for obese people to attend bonfire slimming groups. Note. Some would say that if the participant does not pay they have no incentive. I disagree. When people pay themselves if they are not losing they tend to leave the group altogether
9 Regulate so that retail outlets have to place the most fattening food in the most inaccessible part of the store
10 Set up nationwide mentoring services where people receive counselling in relation to the emotional aspects of overeating.
Peter Bull ( Author of Get In Touch With Your Slimmer Self )