Britain: Blair’s Health Secretary lets food industry fat cats off the hook on overweight

From London daily The Morning Star:

It’s your own fault

(Friday 25 August 2006)

IF you’re obese, it’s your own fault – that is the government’s blunt message, as expressed by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt.

Blaming individuals for eating the wrong food and not taking enough exercise absolves the food industry of any responsibility and ignores the valuable role that government intervention can play.

The government did not stand on the sidelines over the disastrous effect on health that tobacco smoking has.

It acted on advice from the medical profession to outlaw tobacco advertising and to ban smoking in workplaces from next year.

But, when it comes to TV junk food adverts directed at children, Ms Hewitt refuses to take action, dancing to the food-processing industry‘s tune.

It is easy to see the attraction of ready meals to busy parents, especially in Britain, where long working hours are the norm, but many of these are stuffed full of trans fats, salt, sugar and other dietary disasters.

Tobacco corporations designed cigarettes to addict women: here. And children: here.

Secondhand smoke is a health threat to pets: here.

Smoking ban has saved 40,000 lives: here.

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