If there’s any doubt that the Coalition Government could be reducing government spending much more drastically, the dogged regularity of news stories on studies proving that lives could be saved if only we taxed X, Y or Z more must surely dispel it.
Not content with smoking bans and alcohol pricing fixes, ‘fast’ or ‘junk’ food seems to now be firmly in the sights of various authoritarian health campaigners and once again draconian measures are being called for. So today on the BBC we have a report that a study by Oxford University shows that if the Scots, Welsh and Irish adopted a more ‘English’ diet (ie, more fruit and veg, less high salt high fat food), 4000 lives a year could be saved. This from the news agency that was broadcasting end-of-the-world scenarios regarding the world population reaching 7billion only a few days ago. And how to encourage this diet? The article is adamant: junk food must be taxed, fruit must be subsidised; the authorities must do more. No other options are even explored.
This despite the university’s researchers freely admitting that they have no basis for claiming that taxes and subsidies would have any affect whatsoever:
“Dr Scarborough told the BBC that while the study did not consider the effectiveness of policies and interventions, the area should be investigated. He said: “Junk food taxes and subsidies of fruit and veg could be a very important tool in addressing health inequalities in the UK.”"
They could, but equally, they could not. He’s just made a wild assumption, one that the BBC are reporting as fact. And almost no-one will publicly question.
Meanwhile, last week a Ms Kane has been sent a letter by her local authority advising her that her five year old son is ‘almost obese’, advising her that she would soon be getting a phone call offering her tips on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Ms Kane, interviewed by her local paper, said
“You only have to look at Tayler to see he is a normal boy. He is no fatter or taller than anyone else in his class. Not only have they told me my perfectly healthy son is overweight and almost obese, they just assume I feed him rubbish and need to get lessons in cooking. Tayler is a fit and healthy little boy, he loves fruit and veg and all of our family eat well. He does weekly dance and football sessions. I don’t need tips on how to keep him active and healthy! … in my view this whole scheme is a waste of time and money.”
Quite right, too.
sending...
