ONE plague fades and another rises. New figures suggest that, in 25 years’ time, obesity will overtake smoking as the biggest preventable cause of cancer among women in the UK.
There’s an interesting synchronicity here. Smoking was – is – a bizarrely unhealthy lifestyle choice that only started to decline after many years of public campaigns aimed at persuading people not to kill themselves. Today, obesity takes on the mantle of self-harming behaviour. It’s not a lifestyle choice in itself – but the patterns of consumption that cause it are, and a campaign to disrupt these patterns is needed urgently.
While adult smoking is down a quarter since the early 2000s, obesity is up a fifth. That encouraging former figure shows something can be done. Cancer Research UK has called on the Scottish Government to enact legislation restricting special offers on junk food. This is a practical measure with public support. Other essential measures include stronger calorie labelling and calorie limits on takeaways.
Some say such measures will harm small businesses and poorer households, but invitations to over-eat junk food are a big supermarket speciality, and it can’t be beyond the wit of takeaway chefs to reduce fats and sugars. As for poorer families benefiting from multi deals, it’s hard not to sympathise. But these are poor economies. You can’t put a price on your health.
Costs are a major factor for poorer families, and one solution would be to make healthy food cheaper. How often do we see multi-buy offers on fruit and veg? As for comfort or cravings, low-calorie drinks and snacks have become increasingly adventurous and attractive.
Obesity is a luxury that no-one can afford. It took a long time for the smoking message to get through, but it did eventually to a great extent, and we must be confident that obesity can be tackled too. Taking radical action on this plague isn’t an option. It’s a duty.
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