Food for thought

I can only imagine your correspondent Jane Bradley has ended up in another America from the one I’ve been visiting regularly for the past decade (“Fat chance of portion control”, Perspective, 9 July). It is true that there are obese people in Baltimore – I’ve seen a few myself – but it also happens to be the case that there is a growing awareness of the effects of poor diet on the nation’s health.

Whether it’s Gwyneth Paltrow’s books on the joys of the gluten-free lettuce sandwich, or Michael Bloomberg’s attempt to restrict the volume of fizzy drinks cups in New York, at least the subject of diet is continually up for discussion.

For now, it may be a middle class pre-occupation, but since even poor people care about their childrens’ welfare, one feels the message will eventually get through. Given the sheer number of fitness obsessed Claire Underwood (House of Cards) lookalikes who spend their time running around in the open, a gentle stroll in an American park is becoming positively hazardous.

Yes, Wholefoods may be more pricey than Walmart, and beef and pork have growth-hormone issues, but low-cost farmer’s markets are springing up all over the place, and, for the record, I have never been offered syrup with my coffee in any branch of Starbucks – indeed, until reading Ms Bradley’s report I had no idea such a concoction was available.

It is entirely possible, but by no means compulsory, to live on a diet of Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Kreme washed down with a syrup-enriched iced caramel macchiato, and Americans should certainly not be complacent about their eating habits, but given Scotland’s appalling health indices I’m not so sure we should be claiming the moral high ground where diet’s concerned. DAVID J BLACK St Giles Street

Edinburgh