I
CONFESS to not being much of a newspaper reader but I do try to keep
up with current affairs in whatever form whenever I can.
One
particular topic recently came to my attention sufficient to make me
want to pass comment. This was the announcement by NICE in relation
to concerns over increased obesity amongst the general population.
Apparently,
in yet another move by the nanny state to steer us in the right
direction, overweight people are to be offered the opportunity to
take advantage, if one can call it that, of 12 weeks free membership
of Weightwatchers.
A
nice little earner for them no doubt. I feel that this is wrong for a
number of reasons.
Firstly,
should the NHS be funding membership of a commercial organisation,
where no doubt some kind of deal, with our tax payers’ money, has
been done? Secondly, and more importantly from the point of view of
those who may choose to take advantage of the offer, what happens
after the first 12 weeks?
Are
they expected to stick with Weightwatchers at their own expense
thereafter, and to be encouraged to buy their expensive range of
products, or will they go back to doing what they’ve always done? I
appreciate the argument for a change in lifestyle but extensive
research has shown that it takes much longer than a few weeks to
change what may be habits developed over a life time.
The
real issue is that whilst the NHS continues to buy into such short
term, ill thought out, solutions, we will never be able to fully
address the real challenges that people are struggling to cope with
every day, where in the case of obesity it is very often the physical
manifestation of something else altogether.
I
believe that the time, effort and money would be much better spent on
shoring up our severely depleted mental health services.
On
a daily basis Samaritans receive calls from those in despair where
sometimes reaching for that comforting extra bar of chocolate or
packet of biscuits seems to be the only remedy when all sense of hope
has been abandoned.
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