Twin threats to health gap

Hardly a day goes by without Scots being encouraged to eat more fruit and vegetables.

But now a report says that, despite the exhortations, our consumption of health-enhancing food is at its lowest in 14 years.

It’s not great news that after so many campaigns we are actually going backwards. The situation is worse in poorer areas.

As well as the allocation of additional resources, it will need more innovative strategies to tackle the root causes of poor diet choices.

In the meantime, if we are making little progress with healthy food, it is even more important than before that the other part of the equation, getting exercise, does not fall away at the same time. Physical activity is the way to capture the imagination of the young to the old, building new skills and confidence leading to improved self-esteem.

But under the Barclay review of business rates, there is a danger of public leisure centres being closed down. If any further evidence was required to show that we cannot afford to lose swimming pools and gyms, this latest health survey must surely be it.