alexist

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2103722.ece

This is wrong on so many levels. First of all, obese people pay into the NHS too, and the principle of appropriate care should not be abandoned. The only reason to deny someone treatment should be that they will not benefit from it. Second, how do they know why someone is obese? This all seems to assume that fat people are lazy, and really, just give them the right incentives and they'll eat properly and get thin. This is true for some people, but not all. I think it's been pretty conclusively demonstrated that gaining weight is a lot easier than losing it. Third, it can be counterproductive. For example, one trust wanted to deny obese people joint surgery. Well, if their joints are knackered, they're certainly not going to exercise!

This belief that government action can solve everything, coupled with the constant financial strain on the NHS, is producing disastrous ideas.

Yes, I'll admit to self-interest, given my weight. But I'm also proof that solving obesity isn't so simple. My lifestyle isn't perfect, but it's not a life of chips and sweets eaten in front of the TV. There's other things going on that I can't solve. (I suspect, by the way, that some of the increase in obesity may be linked to increasing use of psychiatric medication. It is NOT a perfect relationship by any means, and for many people it's an acceptable trade-off, but I think it's something that should be looked at more closely.)