Re your report on the cost of people being overweight in the UK, (Cost of people being overweight in UK now £98bn, study finds, 4 December), while it is important that we do not shy away from the worrying health impact of being overweight and obese in the UK, it’s vital that we focus on where the real power to make change actually lies – with the government and with industry.
It’s easy to point to individuals, and to “personal choice”, but the fact is that our environment has changed. At all levels of society, we are bombarded with advertising and the promotion of food that is high in fat, salt and sugar. Meanwhile, the government has put the brakes on taking any action to tackle this very real and urgent public health issue.
