A GROWING POPULATION

Britain is on track to be the fattest nation in Europe in a decade, says the World Health Organization, with the rise in obesity driven by takeaway services such as Deliveroo and our sedentary lifestyles (only 5% of us exercise as much as advised by the NHS). By the early 2030s, 37% of us are expected to be dangerously overweight. The present figure is almost 28%.

We know obesity has been linked to cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and joint problems. So why isn’t the message getting through? We are bombarded with health information, from trafficlight food labels to how many steps we should take each day. Poverty is, of course, an issue but I do believe there’s a ‘not my fault’ blame game too. It’s not the government’s job to watch our scales. Sadly, it seems personal responsibility shrinks in direct relation to the speed at which fast-food joints grow.