I'm not one for a big political debate, in fact I don't usually take sides of a particular party, but I have to agree with the Tories on this one. David Cameron's speech in July set off massive controversy regarding his, and his party's, stance on obesity and his ways in which to over come it. He said "We talk about people being ‘at risk of obesity’ instead of talking about people who eat too much and take too little exercise. We talk about people being at risk of poverty, or social exclusion: it’s as if these things — obesity, alcohol abuse, drug addiction — are purely external events like a plague or bad weather... Of course, circumstances — where you are born, your neighbourhood, your school and the choices your parents make — have a huge impact. But social problems are often the consequence of the choices people make."
It is true that in today's world there is a McDonald's on every street corner, or you could get your teeth around any kind of chocolate bar your taste buds craved but surely it is the person eating it that has to take responsibility? How can someone stuff themselves silly with food containing more chemicals than an atomic bomb or more sugar than a cane field and then cry to the NHS for a gastric band operation? It's surely unethical - giving people an excuse and then promising a quick answer.
Andrew Lansley, shadow health secretary, backed up Cameron's point in his speech last month: "Tell people that biology and the environment causes obesity and they are offered the one thing we have to avoid: an excuse". He is right. You can blame your biology and DNA only so much before the real reasons come to the surface. My dad was big at 16 but I can't use that excuse to justify why I was 21 stone at the same age!
I was obese in my teens. In fact I was classed as 'morbid obese' which is why I felt I 'qualified' to write about this topic. I ate too much with no exercise = fat blob on 2 (bizarrely) thin legs. I was told at 15 that if I didn't loose the weight I probably wouldn't make it to be an old man so I went on a doctor controlled total food replacement diet and lost 6 stone in three months. I didn't roll myself down to my GP and 'beg for a band' or ask for diet pills, I used some will power (and a whisk) to take control. I realise that not everyone is the same and people have their own ways of dealing with situations in their lives, but it does annoy me when people blame society or social conditioning for their weight problems. It is a fact that if you eat excessivly or eat 'bad' foods you will put on weight - we ALL know that.
It riled me further to hear Anne Diamond on the radio recently (who has had a well documented weight problem for most of her career) expressing her opinion that now "Obesity is an epidemic" Is she suggesting that we can catch obesity? That obesity is contagious? Complete madness! And should we actually use medical terms for a condition that on most parts is self inflicted?
The obesity debate will probably continue for years to come, and as the UK becomes more and more like the USA we are likely to see an unwelcome increase in cases. I personally think we should all stick to the Tories way of thinking, without trying to sway any one's political stance. Take responsibility: eat healthier and try some exercise then maybe this 'epidemic' might slowly start to disappear.
Rant over.