Battle against the bulge starts at home

There has been no shortage of warnings over the danger of obesity in recent years.

Few health issues have spawned so many headlines or sparked such fierce debate, yet still Scotland seems unable to get to grips with the healthy eating message.

As a nation, our addiction to sugary foods shows no sign of abating.

For decades we have lived with the “sick man of Europe” tag and, if recent research from St Andrews University is to be believed, we won’t be shaking it off any time soon.

It is staggering to think that, even in face of all the healthy eating campaigns and the plethora of dire warnings associated with over-indulgence, quite so many people are still prepared to risk their health in search of a sugar rush.

And the problem is clearly worse in Scotland than in the rest of the UK, with one third of those north of the border eating sweets and chocolates every day compared to just a quarter down south.

The reasons for the stark divergence is not entirely clear, but education must have a vital role to play — and not just when it comes to the young people involved.

Good habits start at home and it is surely for parents to hammer home the healthy eating message from an early age.

We all have a responsibility to improve the health of our nation — parents and guardians leading by example would be a good start.