Letters | 14 September 2017

Fat responsibility

Sir: Prue Leith is right to note that the state picks up the bill for our national obesity problem (‘Our big fat problem’, 9 September). But the kind of large and expensive scheme she proposes only deepens the mindset that the government is responsible for our choices. Manufacturers should be forced to display hard-hitting facts about obesity on the labels of the unhealthiest food, in the vein of cigarette packets. This would leave people in no doubt about the consequences to their health, while avoiding extra cost to the state or punitive taxes which also hit those who exercise moderation.
Theo White

Chelmsford, Essex

Bring back smoking

Sir: Surely the way to counteract ballooning obesity would be to reverse the smoking ban, as obesity’s rise correlates directly with the imposition of the ban. If one looks at news films from the 1950s until that legislation, one sees that young people had perfect figures, clear skins and glossy hair.