Leading doctors today weigh in on the debate over the government's role in promoting public health by demanding that ministers impose "fat taxes" on unhealthy food and introduce cigarette-style warnings to children about the dangers of a poor diet.
The demands follow comments last week by the health secretary, Andrew Lansley, who insisted the government could not force people to make healthy choices and promised to free businesses from public health regulations.
But senior medical figures want to stop fast-food outlets opening near schools, restrict advertising of products high in fat, salt or sugar, and limit sponsorship of sports events by fast-food producers such as McDonald's.
Monday, 12 July 2010
Nanny, I saw this and thought of you!
Monday, 14 June 2010
The Righteous Won't Get It.
Unhealthy living is almost universal in Scotland, with virtually everyone in the country putting themselves at risk, according to a study.Glasgow University researchers analysed data from 6,574 people who took part in the 2003 Scottish Health Survey.
They identified five factors which contributed most to disease in richer countries - smoking, drinking, poor diet, physical inactivity and obesity.
The report found that 97% of Scots had at least one of the risk factors.
Then along came Barry O'Barmy, King of all the Most Righteous with this:
So I thought a parable was in order to demonstrate how real people think. And why, the Righteous, will fail in the endeavours.
The couple were 85 years old and had been married for sixty years. Though they were far from rich, they managed to get by because they watched their pennies.
Though not young, they were both in very good health, largely due to the wife’s insistence on healthy foods and exercise for the last decade.
One day, their good health didn’t help when they went on a rare vacation and their plane crashed, sending them off to Heaven.
They reached the pearly gates, and St.. Peter escorted them inside. He took them to a beautiful mansion, furnished in gold and fine silks, with a fully stocked kitchen and a waterfall in the master bath. A maid could be seen hanging their favourite clothes in the closet.
They gasped in astonishment when he said, ‘Welcome to Heaven. This will be your home now.’
The old man asked Peter how much all this was going to cost. ‘Why, nothing,’ Peter replied, ‘remember, this is your reward in Heaven..’
The old man looked out the window and right there he saw a championship golf course, finer and more beautiful than any ever built on Earth..
‘What are the greens fees?,’ grumbled the old man.
‘This is heaven,’ St. Peter replied. ‘You can play for free, every day.’
Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch, with every imaginable cuisine laid out before them, from seafood to steaks to exotic deserts, free flowing beverages.
‘Don’t even ask,’ said St. Peter to the man.. This is Heaven, it is all free for you to enjoy.’
The old man looked around and glanced nervously at his wife.
‘Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol foods and the decaffeinated tea?,’ he asked.
That’s the best part,’ St. Peter replied.. ‘You can eat and drink as much as you like of whatever you like and you will never get fat or sick. This is Heaven!’
The old man pushed, ‘No gym to work out at?’
‘Not unless you want to,’ was the answer.
‘No testing my sugar or blood pressure or….’
‘Never again. All you do here is enjoy yourself.’
The old man glared at his wife and said, ‘You and your flipping bran flakes. We could have been here ten years ago!’
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- Scots Putting Health At Risk With Bad Habits (news.sky.com)
Monday, 12 October 2009
In The Bansturbator's Den.
CiFTomorrow, [TODAY]the House of Commons will see the third and final reading of the Health Bill. I believe MPs must support the clause that would ensure that cigarettes being sold in shops must be stored out of sight, though I'm puzzled and concerned as to why so many seem reluctant to back this move.
Ending point-of-sale displays in this way is an excellent idea and necessary. Whether by accident or design, the primary colours used on both the outside of cigarette packets and the shelves they are kept on attract children. It's the same marketing technique that is used with confectionery.
Tobacco companies can't be trusted to make cigarette packets a colour that doesn't work in this way, so they should be put out of sight. This is very important because most smokers get hooked as teenagers – few start at 18 – so if we can stop children being addicted tobacco companies will soon run out of customers.
The government's "de-normalisation" of tobacco is welcome, but it's taking too long. The Health Bill proposes to restrict cigarette-vending machines in pubs. But they should be banned altogether. Even smokers don't like them, because they typically give you only 16 cigarettes instead of a normal packet of 20 and cost £6, about £1 more than in the shops. And many pub landlords think the government's halfway-house proposals are unworkable because bar staff would have to check people's age ID before operating the machine by remote control.
Who the fuck elected you to interefere in other peoples lives?
Nod and a wink to Man Widdecombe
But there's no one to check
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