The Beeb reports on obesity levels in Scotland, with adult obesity rates having increased by 46% since 1995. This is, with all the caveats mentioned in previous posts, a source for concern. Yet the finger of blame gets, once again, pointed firmly at the individual.
Tory health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon calls for decisive action:
This sends a clear message that we need to start educating people about the dangers of an unhealthy lifestyle, starting with mothers in ante-natal classes,” she said.
It seems a bit mad to suggest that the way to preventing people consuming things that are bad isn’t through regulating the production, but regulating the consumer.
There aren’t many sociological explanations being offered to explain this particular rise in obesity in the land of the deep fried Mars bar. The BBC confines itself to suggesting that “The availability of cheap, energy-dense food could be a further factor.” Ya think?