Former minister says obesity is “a lifestyle choice”
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- Published: Tuesday, 24 July 2018 07:39
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Lord Blencathra, who was a minister over 20 years ago has said that Britain is becoming a nation of “fat, idle people who will bankrupt the NHS”, he described obesity as “a lifestyle choice”. But current health minister, Lord O’Shaughnessy, said: “It should be thought of as a disease, if not an epidemic, because it appears to be catching.”
The former Home Office minister, under John Major, said the Government should have the courage to say in “blunt terms” that obese people need to eat less and exercise more, rather than expecting the NHS to help them. “We seem to be waiting for a magic pill so we continue our gluttony and lazy lifestyle and hope that the NHS will fix it for us without having to change our behaviour one iota”, he told the House of Lords.
He continued: “If we scoff more calories than we burn off, then we get fat and obese. Obesity is not an illness, it is a lifestyle choice. We are creating a nation of fat, idle people who will bankrupt the NHS and we should have the courage to say so in blunt terms.” Lord McColl of Dulwich, a surgeon and Conservative peer, agreed, saying: “The cure is free. Eat less. Put fewer calories in your mouth.”
Lord O’Shaughnessy, the health minister, disagreed saying: “It should be thought of as a disease, if not an epidemic, because it appears to be catching. It appears that if your peers are overweight, you are more likely to be overweight – that is a catching thing. Whether it is a meme rather than a disease, it is something that can be spread. In the end it is about helping people to develop a healthy relationship with food.”
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