There is an irony in a fat government advocating more government to help fat people be less fat. In the same way that I believe that less government is often good government, I also believe that more personal responsibility and less state responsibility will lead to less fat people. There are undeniably many components to why someone becomes fat, however, one of them is personal choice. I have philosophical problems with the state telling an individual that he has made a ‘poor’ choice in becoming fat. If that individual has made an informed choice to eat more than he needs, and let us all admit that most people who are obese have done just that, then that person should be allowed to make that choice without fear of castigation by the state. He should, however, in making that choice, be made to pay for his decision. For being obese has profound cost implications for the state. Not only are there increased costs in health, there also long-term expenditure implications for the social security budget. Nor should we forget the implications for the individual and any of his dependents.

If I was in government I would look at the increasing obesity epidemic and ask myself what could the state do to increase personal responsibility. Levying a fat tax on food has been suggested, maybe even an additional supplementary tax based upon BMI (body mass index) could be pursued. These policies might go some way to reducing a future of obesity for our children. For the present, however, a decision must be made to invest in treatments that work.

The aetiology of obesity can often be complex. The provision of medication to aid weight loss (and in extreme cases surgery) should always go hand-in-hand with a proven commitment on behalf of the individual seeking treatment. Furthermore, many psychological factors are known to contribute to an individual’s excessive weight problem, so the involvement of properly-funded psychiatric services should be part of any programme to reduce obesity. The ultimate solution to the problem rests, however, with each obese individual. No government of whatever hue can change that reality. It may be tough politics, but dealing with obesity is a tough problem that will involve tough and unpopular decisions.